Overview
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the pick after interviewing multiple candidates and formally submitted it to the Advisory Committee for Senior Appointments, with final government approval still required.
- Gofman, a Belarus-born career IDF major general, has commanded armored and divisional units and has served as Netanyahu’s military secretary during the war period.
- He has not served inside the Mossad, making this a rare choice of an external candidate, with precedent in Meir Dagan’s appointment in 2002.
- Channel 12 reported that the move bypassed internal contenders reportedly recommended by current Mossad chief David Barnea, whose term ends in June 2026.
- Defense Minister Israel Katz and IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir welcomed the selection, while critics highlighted his lack of intelligence-service experience and cited a 2020 controversy over authorizing information to a teenager for an unsanctioned influence effort.