Yossi Cohen said Israel's intelligence-sharing saved hundreds from an attack on a plane about to take off from Sydney
(Oct. 30, 2025 / JNS) Former Mossad chief Yossi Cohen said on Monday that Israel should demand policy concessions from Western countries in exchange for the life-saving intelligence it provides them. Cohen spoke at the second Shurat HaDin – Israel Law Center conference in New York, marking the first time a senior Israeli official has proposed adopting such a policy.
At the conference, Cohen revealed cases during his tenure when the Mossad shared life-saving intelligence, including with Australia.
“We gave the Australians probably one of the most critical intelligence items, which saved hundreds of lives, when a bomb was en route to an Etihad Airways aircraft scheduled to depart Sydney for Dubai or Abu Dhabi. This was our intelligence, and what do we receive back from Australia?” Cohen asked, referring to Canberra’s recognition of a Palestinian state.