Top Appointments Committee Reaffirms Roman Gofman’s Nomination to Lead the Mossad

The advisory committee on senior appointments submitted its supplementary opinion today (Tuesday) to the prime minister regarding the appointment of Maj. Gen. Roman Gofman as head of the Mossad. In doing so, the committee approved the nomination for a second time, despite a minority opinion expressing reservations about completing the process at this stage.

According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, the majority of committee members determined that "no flaw was found in Maj. Gen. Gofman’s integrity," and added that after reviewing the additional materials submitted for their consideration, they "were substantially and genuinely strengthened in their view."

Still, the decision was not unanimous. Committee chair Justice Asher Grunis opposed the majority position, and according to the Prime Minister’s Office, this was the "minority opinion, which held that the matter should continue to be examined." Against that backdrop, the prime minister sharply criticized the way the review was handled, saying that "Maj. Gen. Gofman was subjected to unnecessary injustice, and the mountain did not produce even a mouse."

The Prime Minister’s Office also linked the decision to the legal proceedings underway on the matter, making clear that the prime minister "expects the Supreme Court to reject the petitions and not delay Maj. Gen. Gofman’s entry into the role immediately upon the end of the outgoing Mossad chief’s term, in the midst of a war on seven fronts."

The official statement said that the committee submitted its supplementary opinion to the prime minister after reviewing all the materials placed before it. According to the wording of the statement, the majority’s conclusion was unequivocal regarding Gofman’s suitability on both the ethical and administrative levels, while the minority position remained unchanged.