Almog Cohen is a controversial Israeli politician who currently serves as a member of the Knesset for the far-right Otzma Yehudit party. He spent 11 years as a police officer before transitioning into politics.
His law enforcement career was marked by controversy. After leaving the police force, Cohen founded a civilian militia in the Negev region aimed at "fighting crime among Bedouins," but the initiative was shut down after police withdrew their support. During this period, he faced accusations of police brutality from a Bedouin family regarding a 2013 incident.
Cohen entered the Knesset in 2022, but his political career has been turbulent. He was briefly appointed to the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, only to be removed by his own party leader, Itamar Ben-Gvir, for insubordination.
His tenure in the Knesset has been characterized by inflammatory rhetoric. He was suspended from Twitter in January 2023 for comments about Palestinians, and received a formal reprimand from the Knesset ethics committee for comparing Arab lawmakers to animals.
Known within his party as "the sheriff" and "the warrior from the Negev," Cohen lives in Ofakim with his wife and two children. His background includes service in the IDF's Target Intelligence Unit and ownership of a restaurant in Be'er-Sheva. Throughout his public career, he has maintained a confrontational stance on various social and political issues, particularly regarding Palestinians and Arab Israeli citizens.
Cohen's political views align with the far-right spectrum of Israeli politics, and he has consistently advocated for hardline positions on security issues and minority relations. His recent isolation within his own party suggests growing tensions even among his political allies.
Earlier this morning (Sunday), he launched a scathing attack against the IDF High Command during a live broadcast on Galei Israel Radio's Fitchi and Zamri show this morning.
"They're a bunch of lazy donkeys who shouldn't be allowed to go home but should sit in prison!" Cohen said. "Should [IDF Chief of Staff] Herzi Halevi be vacationing in Dubai? Should [General] Haliva be flying for a vacation in Morocco? I won't be politically correct. This General Staff should be replaced with galloping horses."
In the same interview in which he attacked Halevi and Haliva, Cohen revealed internal tensions within his party, stating: "I've been boycotted by the faction for a month now. I wasn't even invited to the faction's declaration. They've removed me from all groups and consultations - I'm no longer part of the decision-making process."
The comments come amid heightened tensions surrounding the current ceasefire negotiations and military strategy in Gaza.
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