Eli Cohen (politician)

File: Foreign Minister Eli Cohen seen during an interview in Jerusalem, June 12, 2023. (Yossi Aloni/Flash90)

December 7, 2023, 11:53 pm

Report: FM arranged diplomatic passports for top Likudniks, sought one for PM’s son

Despite professionals’ recommendations, the prized documents were reportedly given to influential party officials; Cohen also said to have tried to arrange one for Yair Netanyahu

By ToI Staff

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks during an interview at the United Nations headquarters ahead of the COP28 meeting in New York, November 29, 2023. (Andrea RENAULT / AFP)

December 7, 2023, 1:59 am

Israeli FM accuses UN head of backing Hamas after he uses rare clause to urge truce

Eli Cohen says Antonio Guterres’ term a ‘danger to world peace’ in tweet lashing UN chief for letter on Gaza to Security Council under Article 99 of UN Charter, in 1st since 1989

By ToI Staff and Agencies

Executive leadership of UN Women, from left: Sima Bahous, Sarah Hendriks, and Moez Doraid (UN Women Screenshot)

December 2, 2023, 9:54 pm

FM Cohen: UN Women’s condemnation of Hamas attacks ‘tepid and late,’ chief should quit

Diplomat says UN investigation into sexual violence on October 7 should be led by neutral body, not panel made up of ‘Israel-haters and antisemites’

By ToI Staff and Amy Spiro

Foreign Minister Eli Cohen speaks during a press conference at the European Office of the United Nations, Palais des Nation, in Geneva on November 14, 2023. (PIERRE ALBOUY / AFP)

November 22, 2023, 1:42 pm

Israel said to warn UN Security Council of regional war if Hezbollah isn’t disarmed

FM Cohen reportedly calls for ‘totally different approach to end the dangerous violations’ by terror group; IDF airs footage of latest southern Lebanon strikes, as clashes continue

By Jeremy Sharon and Emanuel Fabian

Demonstrators calling upon the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to take action for the release of hostages abducted by Hamas on October 7 and currently held in the Gaza Strip, outside the ICRC offices in Tel Aviv on November 9, 2023. (AHMAD GHARABLI / AFP)

November 20, 2023, 11:33 pm

Red Cross ‘cannot force its way in’ to see hostages, but critics say it could do more

ICRC says it can’t visit Gaza hostages unless Hamas allows it to do so, but government and families say it could exert more diplomatic pressure, including with Egypt and Qatar

By Renee Ghert-Zand

Foreign Minister Eli Cohen and family members of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza hold a briefing for UN ambassadors in Geneva, November 15, 2023. (Pierre-Michel Virot/Israeli delegation to the UN Offices in Geneva)

November 15, 2023, 4:26 pm

Foreign minister, families of hostages hold briefing for UN diplomats in Geneva

Relatives of hostages urge international community to come together and ensure immediate release of some 240 people held captive by Hamas in Gaza since October 7

By ToI Staff

Israelis being kidnapped and taken into Gaza by Hamas terrorists, October 7, 2023, as seen in pixelated videos from social media screened on Israeli television. (Channel 12 screenshot)

November 15, 2023, 2:30 pm

Belgian parliament refusing to screen video of Hamas atrocities

FM Cohen slams head of Chamber of Representatives, saying she is ‘turning a blind eye to the war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by Hamas’

By ToI Staff

Foreign Minister Eli Cohen shows pictures of terrorist armaments found by the IDF in hospitals in Gaza, during a press conference at the United Nations Offices in Geneva, November 14, 2023. (Pierre-Michel Virot/Israeli delegation to the UN Offices in Geneva)

November 14, 2023, 8:45 pm

In Geneva, Israel’s FM demands Red Cross meet hostages, calls on UN chief to resign

In series of meetings, Eli Cohen urges release of Gaza captives, says WHO must take a stand against Hamas, and casts Antonio Guterres as unfit for his role

By Jeremy Sharon

International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) President Mirjana Spoljaric Egger delivers remarks during a press briefing in Avully near Geneva, on June 7, 2023. (Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP)

November 14, 2023, 3:02 pm

Red Cross chief to meet families of hostages held by Hamas

Mirjana Spoljaric says advocating for captives’ release a ‘key priority;’ ICRC has spoken to terror group about freeing prisoners; foreign minister Cohen to attend Geneva meeting

By AFP and ToI Staff

Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, center, arrives at the European Parliament in Brussels, November 8, 2023. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)

November 13, 2023, 10:17 pm

FM expects international pressure on Israel to rise significantly ‘within 2-3 weeks’

Eli Cohen says diplomatic counterparts have already asked Israel for ceasefire in private conversations; asserts Israel will not halt before achieving goals

By Jeremy Sharon

People pray the for the hostages from Israel held captive in Hamas during a vigil at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, November 7, 2023. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)

November 7, 2023, 10:10 pm

A month after loved ones taken captive, families of hostages howl on global stage

Rallies held in Israel, New York, DC, London, elsewhere begging for release of 240 captives; foreign minister heading to Brussels as Israel tries to intensify diplomatic pressure

By Amy Spiro and Jacob Magid

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres attends the UK Artificial Intelligence (AI) Safety Summit at Bletchley Park, in central England, on November 2, 2023. (Leon Neal/Pool/AFP)

November 6, 2023, 11:24 pm

UN chief: Gaza has become ‘graveyard for kids’; Israeli envoy calls for him to resign

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres labels situation in Strip ‘collective punishment,’ urges ceasefire; Ambassador Erdan retorts that remarks show ‘rotten morals,’ says he must go

By AFP and ToI Staff

People walk between hundreds of beds corresponding to the number of Israelis abducted by the terrorist organization Hamas in the Gaza Strip, outside Jerusalem City Hall on October 30, 2023. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

November 1, 2023, 9:46 pm

Israel: Red Cross has ‘no right to exist’ if it can’t help hostages in Gaza

FM Eli Cohen’s remarks come after organization warns Israel over emergency law concerning conditions of security prisoners in Israeli jails

By ToI Staff

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, speaks to attendees during a rally to show their solidarity with Palestinians, in Istanbul, Turkey, October 28, 2023. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)

October 28, 2023, 7:36 pm

Israel pulls diplomats from Turkey to reassess ties as Erdogan blasts its ‘war crimes’

Turkish president escalates rhetoric as he tells hundreds of thousands at Istanbul rally that the West is the main culprit behind the Israeli army’s ‘massacre’ in Gaza

By Lazar Berman

Ronen Nuetra, right, and Ruby Chen, both of whom have sons being held hostage by Hamas, speak during a rally in front of United Nations headquarters in New York, Tuesday, October 24, 2023. (Seth Wenig/AP)

October 25, 2023, 11:08 am

At UN, Israeli officials and hostage families demand action to bring back Hamas captives

FM Eli Cohen is heckled during speech; UN Secretary General Guterres meets with families after his controversial comments that Hamas onslaught ‘did not happen in a vacuum’

By Luke Tress