Panama’s ambassador to Israel Ezra Cohen discussed misconceptions about Israel’s global image and Latin American support for the Jewish State.
What happens when a former tech CEO and Jewish community leader becomes Panama’s ambassador to Israel? On this episode of Talx, JNS CEO and Jerusalem Bureau Chief Alex Traiman sits down with Ambassador Ezra Cohen, Panama’s envoy to the Jewish state, for a candid and powerful conversation about diplomacy, crisis management, and the untold story of Israel’s global image.
Ambassador Cohen shares his journey from business success—leading the first Panamanian company listed on NASDAQ—to serving his country during wartime in Israel. From rescuing stranded Panamanians during the Iran-Israel conflict to forging deep relationships with Israeli leaders, Cohen provides a behind-the-scenes look at what modern diplomacy really entails. The conversation covers:
- How Israel and Panama are strengthening bilateral ties
- What most people get wrong about Israel’s global image
- Why Latin American leaders are aligning more with Israel
- Israeli aid and security expertise that Panama is eager to import
- The media war Israel must win and how to fight it
- Counterterrorism threats from Iran and Hezbollah in Latin America
- Life and safety for Panama’s 14,000-strong Jewish community
This inspiring episode reveals why truth has “legs,” how perception shifts with firsthand experience, and why Ambassador Cohen believes Israel’s story must be told more boldly.
