Israel
Former Shin Bet head says Netanyahu could inflame security tensions to improve his electoral prospects
By Jewish Life Staff, . Jewish Life.
Yoram Cohen, a former head of the Shin Bet, Israel's security agency, who now holds the second spot on the Yashar party's electoral list, said Friday he could not rule out that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would deliberately escalate security tensions to improve his electoral prospects ahead of the October 27 Knesset (Israel's parliament) election. The warning came during an interview on Kan Reshet Bet radio's Friday Midday program, as reported by The Jerusalem Post.
"I don't want to make unequivocal statements, but a justification for a security situation and escalation can always be found. Unfortunately, I cannot rule it out," the publication quoted Cohen as saying. He added that Netanyahu has shown in the past that "his decisions are influenced by ulterior motives, and that is very troubling."
Cohen said his concern was sharpened by the closeness of the election date and by Netanyahu's current polling position, though the report did not specify what those poll numbers show.
Gaza and the 'day after'
Cohen also turned to the situation in Gaza, describing what he called "complete stagnation on all fronts, a static situation." He argued that the current government was not implementing US President Donald Trump's 20-point plan for Gaza and warned that without a workable plan for the period after the fighting ends, Israel would have no option but to take direct action.
"Hamas essentially controls the territory, receives money, grows stronger, and recruits people. We must stop this before it reaches the scale it had before October 6," the report quoted him as saying. The remarks came as Cohen addressed a pledge by Yashar chairman Gadi Eisenkot to end Hamas's rule in Gaza within 18 months of taking office.
The opposition bloc's arithmetic
Cohen also weighed in on a statement made Thursday by Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman, who said his party would refuse to support a minority government under any conditions, including as a temporary arrangement. Cohen questioned the move, saying it could damage the opposition's ability to form a government at all.
"I don't understand why he said that. I don't think it helps the bloc," the report quoted him as saying.
Cohen described Yashar's goal as assembling a government of "61 Zionist, statesmanlike Knesset members," and said that if that proved impossible, the party would seek a government with what he called a clear Zionist majority.
Source: https://www.jpost.com/israel-election-2026/article-911944