Eli Cohen gives diplomatic passports to influential Likud members contrary to standard procedure

Haaretz reported on Thursday morning that Foreign Minister Eli Cohen had been issuing diplomatic passports to influential Likud members as well as the Prime Minister’s son, Yair Netanyahu. 

Typically diplomatic passports are given to government officials to bypass normal travel regulations, such as visas, to facilitate government business.

In Israel, diplomatic passports are typically given to ministers and Knesset members, security officials, heads of the judiciary, and members of the diplomatic service. 

Someone who does not fall into one of these categories, but requests a diplomatic passport, must be referred to an exceptions committee, consisting of senior professionals in the Foreign Ministry. This committee may decide whether the person needs a diplomatic passport if it is needed for political or security reasons.

The committee can be completely bypassed if the Ministry’s director-general orders it be granted to promote Israeli interests abroad.

Regarding the Likud officials, the committee found no reason to issue them with diplomatic passports but Director-General of the Foreign Ministry Ronan Levy issued a written notice, bypassing the committee, in accordance with the Foreign Minister’s “express directive”.

Trading political favors

Several of the Likud members who received diplomatic passports through the directive are noted allies of Eli Cohen and would likely be key figures if he entered into primaries for Likud leadership.

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Indeed, Cohen was the runner-up in the last Likud primaries and with Netanyahu in his weakest position in years, some are saying the next primaries could be his best shot at becoming the top spot on the Likud list.

“For many years, I have not seen a minister who throws his love at the officials like that,” a man who had previously worked with Cohen when he was Intelligence Minister and Economy Minister, told Haaretz.

In January, both Cohen and Levy requested that Yair Netanyahu be issued a diplomatic passport, this is contrary to standard procedure. The children of the Prime Minister are entitled to diplomatic passports until the age of 18. 

Haaretz reported that the reason for issuing Yair Netanyahu a diplomatic passport was that he is protected by Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) agents, who carry such passports, thus it would be contrary to their mission to separate at the border.

בשיא המלחמה החליטו גורמים אינטרסנטיים להציף החלטות ישנות על הנפקת דרכונים, ומכיוון שיש הרבה פייק מציע לעשות סדר:מי שאושרו לו דרכונים על פי הנהלים הם: שלושה ראשי רשויות בלבד שבתוקף תפקידם אחראיים על קשרים בינלאומיים. הם מצטרפים לראשי ערים אחרים שאושרו להם דרכונים בתקופות שונות,…

— אלי כהן | Eli Cohen (@elicoh1) December 8, 2023

Eli Cohen responded to the outrage by saying that the Likud officials were receiving similar treatment to other heads of council, such as Mayor of Tel Aviv Ron Huldai, who had been granted passports at other times. He also said that the decision to grant Yair Netanyahu a diplomatic passport was decided in January, for security reasons.

However, a person familiar with the diplomatic service told Haaretz, “It gives off a particularly bad smell. Here there is a blatant use of state resources by the foreign minister to distribute favors to those who will influence his political future. Cohen acted in a blatant conflict of interest, and the legal adviser to the government needs to get into the thick of it.”

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