The appointment of Maj. Gen. Roman Gofman as head of the Mossad was approved Sunday evening by a government advisory committee, ending weeks of delays and internal disagreements over the nomination.
The committee, headed by former Chief Justice Asher Grunis, had been reviewing the appointment for more than two weeks amid concerns over Gofman’s conduct in a past case involving the use of a minor in an intelligence operation.
In a statement, the Prime Minister’s Office said the committee approved Gofman’s candidacy for the role of head of the Mossad.
“Following the committee’s approval, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed the appointment of the next head of the Mossad, Maj. Gen. Roman Gofman, who will assume his position on June 2, 2026, for a term of five years,” the statement said.
Netanyahu first announced Gofman’s nomination in December, and he had initially been expected to take office on June 1.
The approval comes despite earlier concerns raised during the review process, which had delayed the decision.
According to officials, the committee had examined questions surrounding Gofman’s handling of a case involving Uri Elmakias, who was 17 at the time he was allegedly recruited for an influence operation. Elmakias was later arrested and charged with serious security offenses, and his legal team argued that Gofman was responsible for his recruitment.
Gofman has denied direct responsibility, but the case drew scrutiny over his conduct. Elmakias had also requested to appear before the committee to oppose the appointment, arguing that Gofman was unfit to lead the intelligence agency.
During the review, Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara raised legal concerns regarding Gofman’s handling and reporting of the case, at the request of Grunis.
Her position was seen as significant, as any approval of the appointment is expected to face petitions to the High Court of Justice, Israel’s top judicial review body.
The committee had not convened for more than two months due to Grunis’ illness but resumed its work after his recovery. Despite expectations that a decision would be issued earlier, the lack of agreement among its members delayed the process until the final approval was reached.