Netanyahu Reprimands Outgoing Mossad Chief Over Letter Opposing Successor

-Gen. Roman Gofman as his replacement. The letter was part of Barnea's testimony against the appointment at the Grunis Committee hearings. Netanyahu stated that Barnea exceeded his authority by sending the letter. Barnea responded that the letter contained the same position he had expressed in other instances and that he sent it so his official stance could be presented to the judges.

Netanyahu issued an official statement saying the one who appoints the head of the Mossad is only the prime minister. "The Mossad and Shin Bet are directly subordinate to the prime minister by law. The prime minister is the one who appoints their directors - not the attorney-general, not the High Court of Justice, and not the media," Netanyahu said.

Netanyahu described Gofman as a heroic fighter who is strong-willed and one of the most highly regarded operational commanders in the IDF. During the war, including operations Rising Lion and Roaring Lion, Gofman provided exceptional leadership and displayed out-of-the-box thinking, according to Netanyahu.

"Gofman has courage, initiative, determination, and above all, independent thinking and supreme responsibility for Israel's security. People like him should be at the head of the Mossad, and that is why I chose him," Netanyahu said. He asked why there were attempts to disqualify Gofman, suggesting possible reasons including that he is not part of a clique, came from the Soviet Union, political considerations or that he served as military secretary.

"Gofman was chosen by the prime minister to be the next head of Mossad, and he will lead Mossad from strength to strength," Netanyahu concluded.

The reprimand follows the attorney-general's submission to the High Court of Justice against the appointment of Gofman as Mossad director. In the submission, the attorney-general stated that in the case of Ori Elmakayes, serious flaws were found in Gofman's integrity.

The attorney-general's position is that the decision to appoint Gofman to the most senior security position cannot stand legally. According to the attorney-general, the Elmakayes case casts a heavy shadow on Gofman's integrity and therefore on his appointment as head of the Mossad.

The attorney-general also stated that the examination process conducted by the senior appointments committee was flawed and that the majority decision approving the appointment was based on an incomplete and insufficient factual foundation.