Netanyahu Names Military Secretary Roman Gofman New Mossad Director

English , International - بین الاقوامی , Snippets , / Thursday, December 4th, 2025

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Jerusalem, Dec. 4 — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has appointed his current military secretary, Roman Gofman, as the next director of the Mossad, according to an official announcement issued Thursday.
Gofman will replace David Barnea when Barnea’s five-year term ends in June 2026. A senior Israel Defense Forces officer, Gofman has held multiple command positions and became Netanyahu’s military secretary in May 2024. He was seriously wounded during the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, which triggered the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
The Prime Minister’s Office praised Gofman for his “creativity, initiative, ingenuity, deep understanding of the enemy, and absolute discretion,” describing these qualities as key to his selection.
The appointment has, however, drawn criticism. Israel’s Kan public broadcaster quoted unnamed current and former senior Mossad officials who argue that Gofman lacks an intelligence background, organizational management experience, and expertise in the agency’s core operational fields.
Further scrutiny has resurfaced over an incident reported by Haaretz, in which Gofman — then commander of the army’s 210th Division — approved the recruitment of a 17-year-old to conduct an unauthorized influence operation. The teen was arrested by the Shin Bet in May 2022 and held for more than a year, including time in isolation, until charges were dropped after it emerged he had acted under military direction.