Security stepped up for Deputy Minister Almog Cohen after threats to his family

The personal protection around Israeli Deputy Minister Almog Cohen has been reinforced after he received threats against his life and against members of his family. Ynet, the news site of the Yedioth Ahronoth group, reported that the threats were anonymous and included threats to murder Cohen, his wife and his daughters.

According to Ynet, the material containing the threats was passed on to be dealt with, and the matter is now under investigation. The Jerusalem Post also reported that security around Cohen had been bolstered, and described the death threats against him as credible.

What the two reports say

The two outlets agree on the central facts: Cohen was threatened, the threats concerned killing, and the security arrangements around him were increased in response. Ynet's account adds that the threats extended to his wife and daughters, and that their sender or senders did not identify themselves.

The reports differ in emphasis rather than substance. Ynet calls the threats anonymous and says an investigation is under way, without characterising how serious they are judged to be. The Jerusalem Post describes them as credible. Neither report explains who made that assessment or on what basis.

Ynet's report uses a passive construction for the handling of the case: the material was transferred for treatment. It does not name the body that received it or the body conducting the investigation.

Who Almog Cohen is

Both reports identify Cohen as a deputy minister. In Israel, a deputy minister is a junior member of the government who works under a cabinet minister. A photo caption accompanying The Jerusalem Post's report, however, refers to him as a minister. The caption describes him arriving in September for a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Petah Tikva, a city east of Tel Aviv, ahead of what it called the upcoming general elections.

That caption is the only reference in the material to the political setting. Neither report links the threats to the election campaign, to any specific statement or decision by Cohen, or to any particular group.

Threats against public figures

When an Israeli official receives threats, the usual sequence reported in cases like this is the one described here: the threatening material is handed over to the authorities, the official's protection is reviewed and, where it is judged necessary, increased, and an investigation follows. The reports on Cohen follow that pattern but give no detail on what the reinforced security involves, whether it covers his family, or how long it will remain in place.

Neither outlet reported a public statement from Cohen himself about the threats, nor any comment from his office, the government or law enforcement.

What the reports do not say

• How the threats were delivered, whether by phone, message, online post or another means, is not stated.
• No suspect has been named, and neither report says whether anyone has been questioned or arrested.
• The agency handling the investigation and the body responsible for Cohen's protection are not identified.
• The basis for The Jerusalem Post's description of the threats as credible is not explained.
• No response from Cohen or from the police has been reported.