Yossi Cohen Criticizes Saudi Crown Prince at Tel Aviv Summit

Former Mossad director Yossi Cohen questioned Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s maturity and predicted another focused military operation against Iran while answering questions at the Taglit Global Business Summit in Tel Aviv on Monday, November 2. His remarks addressed Saudi leadership, Iran’s capabilities and cooperation between Israel and the United States. Asked about the crown prince and something people might not know about him, Cohen replied: “Apparently, he is not mature enough.” He then asked not to be quoted. On Iran, Cohen said the country continued to develop its capabilities and might be rebuilding facilities. He argued that Tehran was not negotiating in good faith and said U.S. President Donald Trump was insisting on a satisfactory agreement rather than accepting a bad one. Cohen’s expectation of another focused operation was a prediction, not a stated timetable for military action. Cohen also praised Israeli-American military cooperation against Iran’s nuclear, ballistic-missile and related industrial capabilities, describing it as cooperation Israel had long sought. He said facilities had been destroyed and Iranian capabilities damaged. On the question of Iran’s government, he rejected the idea that outside powers could bring it down, saying that change would have to come from Iranians themselves and acknowledging the danger faced by protesters.