Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has designated his military secretary, Major General Roman Gofman, as the incoming head of Mossad for a five-year tenure commencing on June 2. The official appointment was confirmed by Netanyahu’s office on Monday.
The decision followed endorsement from the Senior Appointments Advisory Committee, chaired by former Supreme Court president Asher Grunis. The committee’s evaluation notably examined a 2022 episode when Gofman, then commanding forces in the Golan Heights, authorized the involvement of a 17-year-old, Ori Elmakayes, in an Arabic-language influence operation targeting Iran, Hezbollah, and Hamas.
This operation resulted in Elmakayes’ extended detention after allegations surfaced that he had disseminated classified information. Gofman has consistently stated that he was unaware of the youth’s age and had explicitly instructed that only unclassified content be shared on social media. Elmakayes was held for 18 months before all charges were dropped, following revelations that the classified material he posted had been supplied by intelligence personnel within the Israel Defense Forces.
In their ruling, three committee members determined that this incident should not bar Gofman from assuming leadership of Mossad. Conversely, Asher Grunis issued a dissenting opinion, recommending that Gofman be considered unsuitable for the position.
Born in Belarus, Gofman immigrated to Israel in 1990 at age 14. Throughout his military career, he advanced through the ranks of the IDF Armored Corps, ultimately commanding a division before moving away from frontline combat roles.
