Yossi Cohen

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Yossi Cohen is a Mossad officer who was appointed as Israel's next National Security Advisor in August 2013.[1] He was previously known in the Israeli media by the cryptonym 'Y'.[2][3]

According to Yossi Melman, Cohen headed the European section of Tzomet, Mossad's human intelligence-gathering branch until 2005, when he replaced Mossad Officer N as overall head of Tzomet. Melman noted that although Cohen was a skilled collection agent, doubt had been cast on the appointment.

Some call Y. "a man of all seasons," and note that he abandoned an overseas posting without completing his mission in order to join a high-tech startup headed by a former Mossad man a few years ago, only to return to the Mossad later on.[2]

Cohen was appointed deputy director of Mossad in September 2011, making him a potential successor to director Tamir Pardo. Journalist Ronen Bergman said of him:

Y. who is in his 50s, is considered a "home grown" appointment, having spent his entire career in the intelligence field in the Mossad.
The newly appointed deputy is also considered to be exceptionally handsome and is known within the Intelligence Community as "the model."[4]

External resources

Notes

  1. Herb Keinon, PM names deputy Mossad head as new National Security council chief, Jerusalem Post, 21 August 2013.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Yossi Melman, Returning the Mossad to its basics, Haaretz, 15 November 2005.
  3. Yossi Melman and Dan Raviv, Veteran Spy-Runner Moves from Mossad to be Netanyahu’s Chief Advisor on National Security — Iran Options Are a Key Focus, Spies Against Armageddon, 21 August 2013.
  4. Ronen Bergman, Mossad chief names new deputy, ynetnews.com, 5 June 2011.