Elmakayes says Gofman panel ‘ignoring facts’; Gofman: Barnea caused me damage on international level

Ori Elmakayes, the individual at the heart of petitions against the appointment of Maj. Gen. Roman Gofman, as Mossad chief, accuses the appointments committee, which re-approved Gofman, of ignoring facts he presented regarding a controversial incident at the center of demands that the appointment be canceled.

Elmakayes was authorized by the IDF’s 210th Division commanded by Gofman in 2022 to publish intelligence information on his Telegram channel in an online influence operation.

He was, however, arrested and indicted for espionage when the Shin Bet became aware of the information he was publishing, without being aware that he was working with the IDF, and was only exonerated 18 months later, without Gofman intervening on his behalf.

Gofman was investigated by the IDF over the incident, and is accused by petitioners to the High Court of Justice of lying about whether he was aware of Elmakayes’ identity and the influence operation.

Elmakayes, one of the petitioners against Gofman’s appointment, writes on X that he told the Senior Appointments Advisory Committee that he had met with an officer from the 210th Division who apologized for having “abandoned” him, and that the officer admitted he had shown Gofman Elmakayes’ Telegram channel, and that he told Gofman that Elmakayes had been arrested just days after he was taken into custody.

“Gofman knew the whole time about the operation and about my Telegram channel, approved it, and nevertheless chose to lie in the investigation conducted by Brig. Gen. Gimmel in May 2022 — an investigation that paved the way for my wrongful arrest,” Elmakayes writes.

“The committee majority continues to systematically ignore the facts and documents that were submitted, which testify to the existence of classified material that was sent to me from the division, and Gofman’s knowledge of my identity. They neither quote them nor address them, to avoid the truth and to enable an appointment which is a danger to state security,” he adds.

Gofman himself was quoted in the majority opinion of the advisory committee, which re-approved his appointment, complaining about a letter filed by outgoing Mossad chief David Barnea in which he strongly criticized Gofman’s behavior and appointment.

The committee said Gofman asserted that Barnea’s letter was based on “non-facts” and that it had “caused him damage on an international level,” and expressed concern as to what intelligence chiefs in foreign countries would now think of him.