Deputy Minister Almog Cohen Expresses Ambition to Lead National Security Ministry
Deputy Minister Almog Cohen declared his ambition to succeed Itamar Ben Gvir as National Security Minister, criticizing the opposition and the Muslim Brotherhood.
Deputy Minister Almog Cohen (Likud, formerly Otzma Yehudit) declared his ambition to succeed National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir during a radio interview on 103fm on Sunday.
"I want to take over the Ministry of National Security, which I know well," Cohen stated when asked by hosts Barak Seri and Eli Ohana. Addressing whether he intends to replace his former party leader, with whom he parted ways on tense terms, Cohen emphasized his legislative achievements: "This is not about Ben Gvir. I passed the protection racket law, and I will pass a significant minimum sentencing reform."
Cohen also addressed the political landscape, asserting that the opposition bloc cannot form a government under current conditions. "Politics is also mathematics. How can Naftali Bennett and Gadi Eisenkot form a government without the Muslim Brotherhood? In which poll do they have 61 seats? The Israeli public is not stupid," he argued.
Turning to the Arab sector, Cohen expressed strong views regarding voter turnout and political alignment. "Check my words: on Wednesday morning, voter turnout in the Arab society will be the highest in the history of the State of Israel. There is one Zionist answer to this: the Jewish state will remain exclusively a Jewish state. We respect minorities, but we will not allow the Muslim Brotherhood movement, whose roots are planted in Hamas, to run this country."
Commenting on Yair Golan, leader of HaDemokratim, Cohen criticized his rhetoric and political alliances. "I criticize him for things he says. On October 7, we were slaughtered because we were Jews, and our brothers in the kibbutzim were called settlers," Cohen said. "If anyone wants to remove religion from the public sphere, as a believing Jew I will stand on my hind legs. And if someone wants to sit with Mansour Abbas and the Muslim Brotherhood, Google it and check what this movement is."
During the interview, Seri asked whether Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich had previously vetoed Cohen's placement on the electoral list because he does not wear a kippah. "You are a destructive demon, you are. That is true," Cohen admitted, adding that he has since proven his dedicated service to the Israeli public and considers the past issue history.
