Israeli government approves Roman Gofman as new Mossad chief

The Israeli government has approved the appointment of Major General Roman Gofman as the next director of the intelligence agency Mossad, according to the office of Prime Minister (PMO) Benjamin Netanyahu.

The PMO said the advisory committee on senior appointments approved Gofman’s nomination on the evening of April 12, after which Netanyahu signed the official order confirming his appointment. He is expected to assume the post on June 2, 2026.

Gofman was first announced as the candidate in December 2025 following a series of interviews conducted by Netanyahu. He will succeed current Mossad chief David Barnea, whose five-year term ends in June 2026.

Born in 1976 in Belarus, Gofman immigrated to Israel in 1990 with his family. He later served in the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), advancing through various command positions up to divisional level before becoming Netanyahu’s military secretary in 2024.

By Jeyhun Aghazada