Evan Cohen

Evan Gary Cohen is a South African-born Israeli linguist and a tenured professor of linguistics at Tel Aviv University.[1] Cohen was the spokesman to international media for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from July 2019 to March 2020.[2] Cohen succeeded David Keyes in the position.[3]

This article is about the Israeli professor and government spokesman. For the Guamanian businessman, see Evan Montvel Cohen.

Cohen's appointment was announced by Netanyahu on 14 July 2019.[4] Cohen was not known to have any prior experience in public diplomacy.[1] Several weeks before the announcement, Netanyahu saw Cohen being interviewed on the Israeli news channel i24 about Amir Ohana becoming the first gay Israeli cabinet minister and was impressed with Cohen's ability to present the Likud worldview.[5][2]

Political views

Before being appointed Netanyahu's spokesman, Cohen was the head of Likud Pride, the LGBT forum in the Likud party.[6][4] In 2014, Cohen organized the Likud party's first international convention of LGBT activists in conservative parties.[6] He has advocated for marriage equality and the right to surrogacy for gay men.[7] In 2018, Cohen said the Netanyahu government's failure to include same-sex couples in a new surrogacy law was "shameful" and said that the bill should not have been passed.[8]

Cohen said he believes gay people should support whichever party fits their political ideology regardless of their sexual orientation.[9] Cohen said he identified "with the more hard right" in Israeli politics.[6]

Personal life

Cohen was born in Durban, South Africa.[10] He moved to Israel when he was nine years old with his parents and three siblings.[4][5] He was a captain in the intelligence branch of the Israel Defense Forces.[6] He lives with his husband, Omri Rosenkrantz, in Ramat Gan.[11] Cohen has a doctorate in linguistics from Tel Aviv University. His research focuses on phonology, phonetics and heritage linguistics.[11]

Cohen is a competitive Scrabble player.[12] He is the founder (1998) and director of the Tel Aviv Scrabble Club, and has been the highest-rated Israeli Scrabble player since 1991. Cohen has won several Israeli and international tournaments, and was the first player to represent Israel in the World Championships (1991), which he has done several times since.

References
  1. Ahren, Raphael. "After 7 months on the job, PM's foreign media spokesman calls it quits". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  2. "Benjamin Netanyahu's spokesman leaves role after election". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  3. ""If that's your issue, I'd understand if you want to support somebody else" – Cory Booker to anti-Israel activist on campaign trail". Jewish Insider. 15 July 2019. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  4. Hoffman, Gil (15 July 2019). "Netanyahu appoints head of LGBT forum for the Likud as new spokesperson". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 14 July 2019.
  5. "'Where Netanyahu goes, I go,' says SA-born spokesman". South African Jewish Report. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
  6. Maltz, Judy (13 June 2014). "For Gay Right-wingers, Life Is Doubly Difficult". Haaretz. Retrieved 14 July 2019.
  7. Sommer, Allison Kaplan; Landau, Noa (14 July 2019). "Amid Conversion Therapy Scandal, Netanyahu Names LGBTQ Activist as International Spokesman". Haaretz. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  8. "Netanyahu reneges and law passes precluding surrogacy for gay couples". i24NEWS. 18 July 2018. Retrieved 14 July 2019.
  9. Hoffman, Gil (4 March 2012). "Feiglin to meet with Likud gay group". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 14 July 2019.
  10. "'Where Netanyahu goes, I go,' says SA-born spokesman". South African Jewish Report. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
  11. Ahren, Raphael (14 July 2019). "Netanyahu taps linguist and LGBTQ rights activist as foreign media spokesperson". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 14 July 2019.
  12. Press, Viva Sarah (19 October 2015). "3 Israeli wordsmiths set for Scrabble World Championship". ISRAEL21c. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
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