Former Shin Bet Chief Running with Eisenkot Opposes Palestinian State
Former Shin Bet head Yoram Cohen, running with Gadi Eisenkot, opposes a Palestinian state and supports legal settlements in Judea and Samaria.
Jerusalem, 5 September, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Former Shin Bet Director and Gadi Eisenkot Yashar party candidate Yoram Cohen said on N12’s “Meet the Press” Saturday that he supports “agricultural farms” in Judea and Samaria when they are built under legal government decisions, but opposes those built without approval. He also opposed establishing a Palestinian state.
Cohen said Israel must remain a country with a clear Zionist majority while maintaining sovereignty and effective governance throughout the country. He warned against annexation that could lead to a binational state with five million Palestinians and seven million Jews, saying most Israelis would oppose such an outcome.
Asked by host Amit Segal about his proposal for a Palestinian “autonomy plus,” Cohen said he wanted to avoid creating a Palestinian state. He argued that a Palestinian state could allow hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from elsewhere to settle in Judea and Samaria, potentially leaving Israel unable to prevent it. He also said Israel should strengthen existing settlements.