Under scrutiny: Appointed by Netanyahu - will decide on the security of Golan and Eisenkot
Ronen Cohen, chairman of the Advisory Committee for the Protection of Personalities, which will discuss tomorrow the security of opposition leaders Yair Golan and Gadi Eisenkot, was appointed without experience in the field. Cohen, who previously blamed the military echelon for the failure of October 7, recently revealed that the security of "those threatened by the Iron Swords War," including former Chiefs of Staff and Defense Ministers, is being examined.
The Advisory Committee for the Protection of Personalities will convene tomorrow, Sunday, to discuss the opposition's demand for the security of Yair Golan and Gadi Eisenkot. At the center of the decision is the committee chairman, Colonel (res.) Ronen Cohen, who was appointed to his position amid public controversy and is now required to decide on the security of former senior military officials.
Tomorrow at 15:30, the Advisory Committee for the Protection of Personalities will convene in Jerusalem. On the table is the demand of Yair Golan and Gadi Eisenkot's staff to receive continuous security until the elections, following recent warnings. The discussion takes place a week after Shin Bet head David Zini refused to provide security for Eisenkot, claiming there was no concrete information. The Shin Bet's decision led to intervention from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who instructed that Eisenkot be provided with security. The Shin Bet refused, responding that its actions are carried out in accordance with the law.
The professional decision now rests with the committee chairman, Colonel (res.) Ronen Cohen. In an interview he gave last month to 103FM, Cohen addressed the issue of senior military officials directly and revealed that the committee is examining a plan called "Those threatened by the Iron Swords War." The plan is intended for former and current Defense Ministers and Chiefs of Staff. "We are examining this whole matter in accordance with the threats," he said at the time. Now, this statement will be put to a practical test.
Cohen, former deputy head of the Research Division in Aman, arrived at his position without prior experience in the protection of personalities. He replaced senior Shin Bet official Moti Shapira, who resigned after the ministerial committee chose to ignore his recommendations. The appointment sparked public criticism, which linked it to the desire of Netanyahu's circle to extend Shin Bet security for his wife and children.
Facing the criticism, Cohen rejected the claims of political motives and backed the work of the Shin Bet. In the same interview, he emphasized that he did not identify gaps between the professional echelon and the managers in the organization. According to him, the security of the Netanyahu family is anchored in law, and the discussion dealt with the period after the term of office. "When Netanyahu's term ends, his wife and children will be secured according to what was agreed for five years," he noted. He justified the decision by the Iranian desire for revenge. "Revenge has no time, and therefore we could have said that the security would be for life for his wife and children as well," he explained, adding that lifetime security is also being examined for previous Prime Ministers, with each case being examined on its own merits.
Cohen's public background adds complexity to his role. Until December 2024, he served as a commentator on Channel 14, which he left claiming that a "targeted killing" was carried out against him due to his choice to observe the commandments of the Torah. As a commentator, he adopted a sharp line against the opposition and the military echelon – the same echelon for whose security he is now responsible.
In an interview with the TOV channel, Cohen previously claimed that opponents of the government act out of "intense hatred that affects their judgment." In addition, he placed direct responsibility for the October 7 failure on the military echelon, which includes Golan and Eisenkot. He criticized the demand to fire the political echelon and argued that the army's security concept led to the disaster. Tomorrow afternoon, the commentator who attacked the performance of the Chiefs of Staff will sit at the head of the committee that will decide on the level of security required for their lives.
