The Negev is not enough for Meir Dagan: Gulliver Energy, a company chaired by the former Mossad chief, together with Australian company Northwood Exploration says it wants to search for gold in the mountains surrounding the southern city of Eilat.
Gulliver Spokesman Dror Sharvit said a subsidiary for the company has requested a license to perform exploratory drilling and aerial surveys of 43 square kilometers (16 square miles) near the southern city.
Israel's Ministry of Energy and Water Resources said Monday it is considering the request. In April, the ministry approved a permit for Gulliver to search for uranium.
Israel has few natural resources, although it has discovered large natural gas deposits in recent years.
Meir Dagan directed the Mossad from 2002 to 2010. In 2011 he became chairman of Gulliver Energy Ltd., an oil, gas and minerals exploration firm based near Tel Aviv.