An Israeli advisory committee on Sunday approved Israel Defense Forces Maj. Gen. Roman Gofman as the next director of the Mossad intelligence agency, clearing the way for his formal appointment, the Prime Minister’s Office said.
Upon receiving the approval from the the Advisory Committee on Senior Appointments, which chaired by former Supreme Court President Asher Grunis, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed the document appointing Gofman for a five-year term, starting July 2, his office added.
Gofman, who currently serves as Netanyahu’s military secretary, will replace David Barnea, who is set to complete his five-year term in June.
Gofman, a decorated career Israel Defense Forces officer who has served on multiple fronts as a soldier and commander, was severely wounded fighting Hamas terrorists on the southern border during the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre.
Announcing his nomination in December, Netanyahu praised Gofman’s “exceptional professional abilities” and his coordination with intelligence agencies throughout the war’s seven operational theaters, calling him “the most suitable and deserving candidate” for the position.
“Maj. Gen. Roman Gofman is an officer of great merit. His appointment as the military secretary to the prime minister in the midst of the War of Redemption proved his exceptional professional capabilities, from his rapid entry into the role to his immediate and significant involvement in the seven theaters of the war,” according to a statement from the PMO.
Born in Belarus in the Soviet Union in 1976, Gofman will become the most senior Israeli official who was born in the USSR.
