Former ISA chief Yoram Cohen has officially joined the political party of former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot.
Cohen, a resident of Jerusalem’s Ramot neighborhood and identified with religious Zionism, has in recent years emerged as a vocal critic of the right-wing government led by Benjamin Netanyahu. In contrast to his predecessor Yuval Diskin, Cohen supported the Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange deal at the time, arguing that “the level of risk we are taking is moderate and a security challenge that we can cope with." He added that “in Gaza there are 20,000 fighters of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, and with another 200 terrorists the world will not collapse upon us."
In a statement announcing his move, the Yashar! party said Cohen “has in recent years become a prominent and principled voice in public discourse, standing against harm to state institutions and to the values of statehood, and acting against the weakening of the security apparatus and the deepening of divisions in Israeli society."
Cohen said the decision to enter politics came amid what he described as a critical moment for the country. “Israel faces significant security and social challenges, and misguided leadership and handling, as we see today, could bring us to the brink of catastrophe," he said. “Given the gravity of the situation, I chose to answer the call of my friend Gadi - out of hope and belief that I can help advance unity, healing, and the repair of our beloved state."
He added that he sees Eizenkot as “the right person in the right place to lead the State of Israel," saying he is capable of bridging divides across different segments of society and building “a principled Zionist home" for a broad public.
Eizenkot welcomed Cohen’s addition, saying, “Yoram, my colleague, brings with him more than 35 years of extensive security experience and deep expertise in national security matters. He is a professional, statesmanlike, and principled voice who represents the kind of leadership Yashar! offers the Israeli public - leadership of responsibility and integrity, focused on results rather than slogans."
“We will return Israel to a straight and principled path," Eizenkot added, “with strong security and unifying, hope-driven leadership that connects all parts of Israeli society."