Israel’s advisory committee on senior appointments has approved the selection of Maj. Gen. Roman Gofman as the next head of the Mossad, clearing the way for his appointment despite opposition from the committee’s chairman, retired Supreme Court President Asher Grunis.
The panel granted its approval on Sunday evening, with Grunis voting against the nomination but remaining in the minority. Following the decision, Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu signed off on the appointment, which he had first announced in early December. Gofman is scheduled to take office on June 2 for a five-year term.
Gofman brings with him a long military career that includes a variety of senior operational and leadership roles within the IDF. He began his service in the Armored Corps as a tank crewman and commander, later serving as commander of the 75th Battalion in the 7th Brigade. He went on to serve as operations officer in the Ga’ash Formation (36th Division), commander of the Etzion Brigade and subsequently the 7th Brigade, head of the Bashan Division (210), commander of the National Ground Training Center, and chief of the Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories.
Despite his extensive record, two past incidents have drawn attention. In one case, during his time leading the Etzion Brigade, Gofman reportedly ran a network of Palestinian informants without informing either the ISA or IDF Military Intelligence, and was later called in to provide clarification.
A more serious matter stems from his tenure as commander of the Bashan Division. According to allegations, Gofman directed two subordinate officers to pass along highly classified information—defined by both the ISA and the IDF as top secret—to a 17-year-old from Ashkelon, Uri Elmakayes, who operated a Telegram-based news channel.
The teenager was later detained by the ISA and police and charged with treason and severe espionage offenses. At the time of his arrest, authorities were reportedly unaware of any connection to Gofman. His alleged involvement only surfaced later in the process, when defense attorneys introduced evidence suggesting the senior officer had acted independently.