Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has appointed Major General Roman Gofman as the new Mossad Chief. Despite having strong military experience, criticism increased over his lack of intelligence background. The opposition called it a political appointment, while the government called Goffman well-qualified.
Israel: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a big and shocking decision, has appointed Major General Roman Gofman as the new Chief of Mossad. This decision is also in discussion because Goffman has no prior experience in Intelligence Operations or Foreign Intelligence. He replaces current chief David Barnia, whose term is to end in June 2026.
life of roman gofman
Roman Goffman’s story is full of struggle and dedication. He was born in 1976 in Belarus. At the age of only 14, he came to Israel with his family. In the year 1995, he joined the Armored Corps of Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and served in many important positions.
When Hamas launched a major attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, Goffman was the commander of the National Infantry Training Center. He was also seriously injured while fighting an attack in the city of Sderot near the Gaza border.
After this, in April 2024, Prime Minister Netanyahu appointed him as his Military Secretary. While holding this position, he played an active role in implementing many important decisions.
Political aspect of Goffman’s appointment
Goffman’s appointment comes as Netanyahu recently selected David Zionist to head Shin Bet (domestic security agency). This appointment was controversial due to its association with religious right-wing groups.
In this background, when Goffman’s name came up, critics called it a ‘political appointment based on loyalty’. Goffman is an alumnus of Eli Yeshiva, a right-wing religious settlement in the West Bank, although he does not wear a yarmulke in public. This also indicates that there may be debate regarding his religious background.
Questions raised on appointment
Uri Misgaev, a columnist for Haaretz, Israel’s leading leftist newspaper, strongly criticized Goffman’s appointment, saying that his lack of intelligence experience makes him “completely unfit” to lead the Mossad.
Misgav claimed that this appointment, like Zionism, is based on personal loyalty to Netanyahu. He says the appointment of people close to politics rather than professionals in security agencies is a concern for Israel’s national security.
However, the Prime Minister’s Office rejected the allegations, saying that Goffman was an “exceptionally capable officer” and that his wartime role had proven his professional competence and leadership skills.
Responsibility increased on Mossad after recent incidents
The Mossad was not held responsible for the intelligence failure of the Hamas attack of 7 October 2023, as the Palestinian territories have not traditionally been central to the agency’s operational scope.
After the attack, Mossad conducted several major successful operations against Hezbollah, in which the Beirut Pager Explosions operation was especially discussed. Apart from this, Mossad’s strategic role in the 12-day war with Iran in June 2025 was also appreciated.
Comments are closed.