Energy Minister Eli Cohen Rejects Claims of Planned Election Delays

Energy Minister and Cabinet member Eli Cohen dismissed claims that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu intends to postpone the upcoming Knesset elections for security reasons. Speaking in an interview with 103fm, Cohen stressed that the vote remains scheduled for October 27, 2026.

Security Alerts and Intelligence

Cohen addressed the recent security incident involving a Flydubai flight, defending Defense Minister Israel Katz’s swift characterization of the event as a terrorist attack. He noted that the assessment was based on intelligence provided by Aman and the Mossad. "The defense minister spoke based on intelligence from Aman and the Mossad. Should this be viewed as a terror incident? The answer is yes," Cohen stated, while acknowledging that a complete picture of the event is still emerging.

Inquiry Commission and Political Responsibility

Touching upon the upcoming anniversary of the October 7 tragedy, Cohen reiterated that the government bears responsibility for the failures leading up to the attack. However, addressing the long-delayed state commission of inquiry, he argued that any future panel must command broad public consensus to avoid being perceived as politically biased.

"We want an inquiry commission whose findings will be accepted by the public. Many on the right view a commission appointed by the Supreme Court as biased and would reject its conclusions from the outset," Cohen said.

Cohen added that while focusing on military victory was paramount during the high-intensity phase of the war, the time has come to advance toward establishing a widely agreed-upon investigative body following the elections.