Israeli media: Congo expels Mossad chief preparing a military coup

Israeli media reported on Tuesday that the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Felix Tshisekedi, expelled Mossad chief Yossi Cohen from the Congo in 2019 on suspicion of preparing a military coup.

In the details, Israeli media reported that the Congolese President ordered the expulsion of former Mossad Director Yossi Cohen three years ago after he visited his country without coordination with the competent authorities, and after the Congolese President suspected that Cohen was holding meetings with his political opponent and former President Joseph Kabila.

Haaretz indicated that the Israeli Military Censor prevented the disclosure of details of the Mossad chief's visits to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2019, "because publication would harm Israel's image."

The Israeli newspaper TheMarker also pointed to what was published by the American Bloomberg website, confirming that Cohen visited the Congo with billionaire Jewish-Israeli Dan Gertler, who is active in the extraction and trade in diamonds, and who is accused by the British authorities of having paid a massive bribe of $350 million in exchange for concessions and rights to prospect and extract diamonds from diamond mines in the Congo.

According to the information provided by Israeli security personnel, the objective of the trips "is problematic, raises controversies, and is even suspicious."

The newspaper also stressed that Cohen did not visit the Congo for "private business" as previously believed, confirming that his visit was approved by the Israeli "political echelon", as per Israeli officials.

Israeli security officials described Cohen's surprise visits to the Congo as a "national security interest," but the newspaper stressed that its goal was not, and it can be said that it is far from being a national security interest.

It is noteworthy that Gertler is also wanted by the US and Swiss authorities on similar charges, and Cohen, when he was head of the Mossad, sought to lift and remove the sanctions that the US administration had imposed on him in 2017.