ACADEMIA

Glenn Cohen

Psychologist

Glenn Cohen, the former chief psychologist of the Mossad, became an unexpected but significant voice in 2025 by leading Israel's Hostage Debrief Team, following the release of hundreds of hostages taken on Oct. 7. Drafted into the effort given his expertise in trauma, psychology, and ethical practice, Cohen helped devise and implement protocols for processing, supporting, and debriefing returning hostages — balancing humanitarian care with the collection of life-saving intelligence. His approach, grounded in both ethical rigor and practical care, was covered widely in Jewish and international media and brought sustained attention to what it means to support survivors while upholding moral and legal standards in crisis response.