Despite criticism surrounding his appointment, Roman Gofman has formally taken over as head of Israel’s foreign intelligence agency, the Mossad.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nominated Gofman for the post. Appeals were lodged with the Supreme Court, but the judges rejected them on Monday.
Gofman was subsequently sworn in at an official ceremony. He succeeds David Barnea, who Israeli media reported had also opposed the appointment.
The legal challenge centred on an incident in 2022, when Gofman commanded a division of the Israeli military. According to court documents, an officer provided a soldier with sensitive security-related information that was later published on a Telegram channel, with Gofman’s knowledge and consent.
The soldier, who was 17 at the time, was eventually charged with publishing the sensitive information. He spent a year and a half in custody and under house arrest.
The judges acknowledged Gofman’s mistakes in the case, but saw no breaches of ethical standards of conduct that would disqualify him from serving as Mossad chief.
Critics: Loyalty to Netanyahu reason for Gofman’s appointment
There is also discontent because Gofman – unlike his predecessors – does not come from within the ranks of the Mossad itself, but from the military and Netanyahu’s office.
Gofman, who was born in Belarus, served as a senior military adviser to Netanyahu. Critics accuse him of being appointed Mossad chief not because of his experience, but due to his loyalty to the prime minister.
Speaking at Tuesday’s appointment ceremony, Netanyahu said Gofman’s mission would be to lead the Mossad’s fight against “Iran’s aggression.”
Officially known as the Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations, the Mossad is widely regarded as one of the world’s most effective intelligence agencies.
The service has been credited with a number of spectacular operations, although its methods have often drawn international criticism.