Former Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) chief Yoram Cohen joined the Yashar! party list ahead of the upcoming elections, party leader Gadi Eisenkot announced on Tuesday.
The two held a joint press conference in Tel Aviv on Tuesday evening, where Cohen expressed his support for Eisenkot’s leadership.
“I see Gadi as the best candidate to be prime minister in the upcoming elections,” Cohen said.
When asked by the press about potential alliances with other parties, following calls from former prime ministers Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid to join their merged list, Together, Eisenkot said the option had been considered, but that it is currently not the best path to victory.
“If we think that it is better to join an alliance, then that’s what we’ll do,” Cohen said.
Eisenkot’s Yashar! has emerged as a leading party in the opposition bloc seeking to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in elections expected to take place no later than October.
Cohen was appointed head of the Shin Bet in 2011, a role he held for five years until 2016. He had previously served as deputy head of the agency and was involved in numerous operations and counterterrorism efforts.
In recent years, Cohen has been a sharp critic of Netanyahu and has spoken publicly about his experience working under him during his tenure as Shin Bet chief. He has alleged that Netanyahu attempted to exploit the agency’s powers for political and personal purposes.
In April 2025, Cohen claimed that Netanyahu asked him to impose on the Shin Bet the responsibility for using intelligence tools to monitor all those with classified information regarding a sensitive operation in an enemy country.
In another incident dating back to 2014, Cohen said Netanyahu summoned him for a private conversation and asked him to work to “revoke the security clearance” of former prime minister Naftali Bennett, who at the time was serving as a cabinet minister.
Eisenkot taps Cohen for extensive security background
Upon joining Eisenkot’s Yashar!, Cohen said that “Israel is facing major security and social challenges, and misguided leadership in handling them, as we see today, could bring us to a dangerous brink at a critical moment.”
“I have decided to respond to my friend Gadi’s call as if it were a reserve duty ‘Order 8’ [call-up order], in the hope and belief that I can help contribute to healing, repair, and restoration for our beloved country,” Cohen added.
Eisenkot welcomed Cohen’s addition, saying that he “brings with him more than 35 years of rich security experience and deep expertise in national security.”
“He is a professional, statesmanlike, and value-driven voice that represents the type of leadership Yashar! offers the people of Israel leadership of responsibility and integrity; of results, not slogans,” Eisenkot added.
Eisenkot has announced a group of members that will be joining his party list.
At the press conference, the Yashar! leader said that the party list will be split up evenly between women and men, with one-third made up of young candidates.
Last week, one of the new additions was former Welfare and Social Affairs Ministry official Inbar Yehezkeli, who will lead the party’s “national rehabilitation plan” aimed at addressing the needs of post-trauma victims in Israel.
Former Finance Ministry budget division head Shaul Meridor was another addition announced last week.
They join MKs and former ministers Matan Kahana and Orit Farkash-Hacohen, as well as Inbar Harush Gity, former director-general of the Aharai organization for at-risk youth.
Sarah Ben-Nun contributed to this report.
