Why it matters:
Cohen’s criticism is significant because he directly blames Netanyahu for the security failure of October 7, stressing that Netanyahu should have immediately accepted responsibility, resigned from his post, and announced new elections.
The big picture:
Benjamin Netanyahu and Yossi Cohen shared a close and cordial relationship during Cohen’s tenure as head of Mossad and even before that. However, after the Al-Aqsa Flood operation and Netanyahu’s attempts to evade responsibility while pursuing policies seen as serving his personal agenda at the expense of the Israeli regime, many prominent figures including Cohen have joined the ranks of Netanyahu’s critics.
What he’s saying:
In his first interview since leaving Mossad, Cohen told Yedioth Ahronoth that Netanyahu should have accepted responsibility immediately after the attack and called for new elections.“He is responsible for everything that happened before and after October 7,” Cohen said. He called on opposition leaders including Naftali Bennett, Gadi Eisenkot, and Yair Lapid to unite in order to end Netanyahu’s rule.
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