Avner Cohen (born 1951) is an Israeli writer, historian, and professor. He is well known for his works on Israel's nuclear history and strategic policy. He is currently a professor at the

Middlebury Institute of International Studies The Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey (MIIS), formerly known as the Monterey Institute of International Studies, is an American graduate school of Middlebury College, a private college in Middlebury, Vermont. Established ...

, and the Director of the Education Program and Senior Fellow at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies. Cohen grew up in

Ramat HaSharon Ramat HaSharon ( he, רָמַת הַשָּׁרוֹן, ''lit.'' ''Sharon Heights'', ar, رمات هشارون) is a city located on Israel's central coastal strip in the south of the Sharon region, bordering Tel Aviv to the south, Hod HaSharon to ...

. He received a B.A. in Philosophy from

Tel Aviv University Tel Aviv University (TAU) ( he, אוּנִיבֶרְסִיטַת תֵּל אָבִיב, ''Universitat Tel Aviv'') is a public research university in Tel Aviv, Israel. With over 30,000 students, it is the largest university in the country. Locate ...

in 1975. He then studied at

York University York University (french: Université York), also known as YorkU or simply YU, is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's fourth-largest university, and it has approximately 55,700 students, 7,000 faculty and staf ...

where he received an M.A. in Philosophy in 1977 and four years later earned a Ph.D. from the

University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, U of C, or UChi) is a private university, private research university in Chicago, Illinois. Its main campus is located in Chicago's Hyde Park, Chicago, Hyde Park neighborhood. The University of Chic ...

in the Committee on History of Culture. After these studies he embarked on an academic career, starting by teaching and lecturing at

Washington University Washington University in St. Louis (WashU or WUSTL) is a private research university with its main campus in St. Louis County, and Clayton, Missouri. Founded in 1853, the university is named after George Washington. Washington University is ...

and

Ben-Gurion University Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) ( he, אוניברסיטת בן-גוריון בנגב, ''Universitat Ben-Guriyon baNegev'') is a public research university in Beersheba, Israel. Ben-Gurion University of the Negev has five campuses: the ...

before returning to Tel Aviv University in 1983 to join the department of philosophy. He held positions at

Massachusetts Institute of Technology The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a Private university, private Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Established in 1861, MIT has played a key role in the development of modern t ...

, Harvard and is affiliated with the

and

James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies The Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey (MIIS), formerly known as the Monterey Institute of International Studies, is an American graduate school of Middlebury College, a private college in Middlebury, Vermont. Established ...

. Cohen has researched various issues with regard to nuclear weapons, including

deterrence Deterrence may refer to: * Deterrence theory, a theory of war, especially regarding nuclear weapons * Deterrence (penology) Deterrence in relation to criminal offending is the idea or theory that the threat of punishment will deter people from ...

morality Morality () is the differentiation of intentions, decisions and actions between those that are distinguished as proper (right) and those that are improper (wrong). Morality can be a body of standards or principles derived from a code of cond ...

, and

proliferation Proliferation may refer to: Weapons *Nuclear proliferation, the spread of nuclear weapons, material, and technology *Chemical weapon proliferation, the spread of chemical weapons, material, and technology * Small arms proliferation, the spread of ...

. His seminal work, ''Israel and the Bomb'', which chronicled the

Israeli nuclear program The State of Israel is widely believed to possess nuclear weapons. Estimates of Israel's stockpile range between 80 and 400 nuclear warheads, and the country is believed to possess the ability to deliver them in several methods, including b ...

, was published in 1998. This book led him to encounter problems with the Israeli censor, and provoked substantial legal difficulties upon his return to Israel to give a keynote speech at an academic conference. His book, ''The Worst-Kept Secret: Israel's Bargain with the Bomb'', was published in 2010 and explored Israel's policy of opacity when it comes to its nuclear history. Cohen has been critical of what he considers

Benjamin Netanyahu Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu (; ; born 21 October 1949) is an Israeli politician who served as the ninth prime minister of Israel from 1996 to 1999 and again from 2009 to 2021. He is currently serving as Leader of the Opposition and Chairman of ...

's deployment of the Holocaust for political ends.

Works

* (Ph.D. thesis) * (with Steven Lee) * (with Marcelo Dascal) (reprint ) * (with Marvin Miller) * *

References

External links

The Avner Cohen Collection hosted at the Nuclear Proliferation International History Project

Interview
with ''

Ha'aretz ''Haaretz'' ( , originally ''Ḥadshot Haaretz'' – , ) is an Israeli newspaper. It was founded in 1918, making it the longest running newspaper currently in print in Israel, and is now published in both Hebrew and English in the Berliner ...

'' ''Selected Op-Eds'' “Israeli Talk of Attacking Iran Damages Relationship with US,” September 4, 2012
Israeli Talk of Attacking Iran Damages Relationship with US
“Israel’s Leadership: Messianic and then some,” Ha’artez, May 6, 2012
Israel's Leadership: Messianic and Then Some
“Netanyahu’s Contempt for the Holocaust,” Ha’artez, March 19, 2012
Netanyahu's Contempt for the Holocaust
“Israel Fears Losing Nuclear Monopoly, Talks of War with Iran,” Al Monitor, February 14, 2012

''Selected Citations'' “What About Israel’s Nukes?,” The New Yorker, March 5, 2012, by John Cassidy

“Preventing a Nuclear Iran, Peacefully,” New York Times, January 15, 2012

“The Real Lesson of Iraq,” The New York Times, November 28, 2011, by Malfrid Braut-Hegghammer

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cohen, Avner Living people Tel Aviv University alumni University of Chicago alumni Massachusetts Institute of Technology faculty Harvard University faculty University of Maryland, College Park faculty 1951 births