WarSclerotic

The Prime Minister’s Office held a ceremony in Jerusalem on Sunday to farewell outgoing National Security Adviser Maj. Gen. (res.) Yaakov Amidror and welcome his replacement, former Mossad deputy chief Yossi Cohen. The event was attended by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as well as numerous defense and diplomatic officials.

Amidror thanked Netanyahu for “listening to my words and supporting my actions, [and] for having the patience to hear my arguments and be open to my opinions.”

In a reference to Iran’s nuclear program, Amidror said, “Israel faces one clear existential threat and everything must be done to remove it, if possible by negotiations, and if it is not possible by negotiations, then in another way.”

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro presented Amidror with an American flag from the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv.

Cohen, who is replacing Amidror as national security adviser, said he was entering his new role with a “deep sense of mission.”

“For the past 30 years, I’ve served the State of Israel in the Mossad, and becoming the head of the National Security Council is a natural continuation of that,” Cohen said at Sunday’s ceremony.

Netanyahu said at the event: “Ultimately, the thread of our existence depends on us and we will not let it be severed by anyone. Yaakov Amidror has contributed greatly to the State of Israel and also to me. I wish Yossi Cohen well in his continuation of this work. Yossi has a very long resume, and I’m certain that his expertise will manifest itself.”