Yoram Cohen (Hebrew: יורם כהן; born 1960) is the Shin Bet chief (since May 15, 2011).[1]
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In 1982, after finishing his compulsory service in the IDF, he started working at the Shin Bet. His first post at Shin Bet was security officer for the field coordinators. After studying an Arabic course and having been sent to the Shin Bet field coordinators course, he became, in 1983, field coordinator of Binyamin Region, and in 1989 the field coordinator of Ramallah Region.
In 1991, he was appointed head of the Operative Desk in Yehuda Region, and 1n 1996 was appointed head of the Terror Prevention Division in Yehuda Region. Between 1999-2001 he served as head of the Arab-Iranian Terror Prevention Division. In 2003, he was appointed head of the Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria Area.
In 2005 was elected deputy to Shin Bet chief, Yuval Diskin, and engaged in a policy building and operating power, and organizational decisions. In 2008 went to the United States and was a research fellow at the Washington United States policy in the Near East. Upon his return to Israel in 2010 was responsible for formulating the concept of service management in the coming decade.
On 28 March 2011, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Cohen will replace the Diskin, and will serve as the 12th Shin Bet chief. On May 15, 2011, Cohen replaced Yuval Diskin as Shabak Director.
Cohen graduated from Midrashiyat Noam Yeshiva high school in Pardes Chana. Cohen has BA and an MA in political science from Haifa University and also is a graduate of the National Defense College.
Yoram was born to parents that came to Israel from Afghanistan. Cohen wears a Kippah and comes from a religious family. Since 1983 he lives in Jerusalem. Cohen is married and has five children.