Yossi Cohen, who was just named Mossad chief. Photo: Wikipedia.

JNS.org – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu named Israeli National Security Adviser Yossi Cohen as the new director of the country’s Mossad spy agency. Cohen will replace outgoing Mossad chief Tamir Pardo, who retires in January after five years in office.

Formerly the Mossad’s deputy director, Cohen was named national security adviser in 2013, becoming the fourth intelligence agency official to head the National Security Council, which operates under the Prime Minister’s Office.

“Yossi Cohen has 30 years of experience in operational, intelligence, and executive positions. His service with the Mossad has seen him acquire extensive knowledge in the workings of complex systems and the international theater, and he has a wealth of experience working with the defense establishment,” the Prime Minister’s Office said.

The men and women of the Mossad, said Netanyahu, “work year-round, demonstrating exceptional courage and ingenuity, at times at considerable personal risk. They do so to ensure Israel’s security versus the threat of terrorism, the Iranian threat, and many other threats.”