Netanyahu approves outgoing Mossad chief’s appointment of new deputy head

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has approved outgoing Mossad chief David Barnea’s appointment of a new deputy head of the spy agency, the Prime Minister’s Office says in a statement issued on behalf of the Mossad.

According to the statement, Barnea announced his decision to appoint a senior official identified only by the Hebrew initial Alef to the post, and Netanyahu approved the appointment today.

Alef had also been a candidate for the position of Mossad director, according to the statement, and “has served in the organization for more than two decades in a variety of roles at the core of its operational spearhead, and has commanded two operational divisions.”

“He brings with him extensive knowledge, experience, and a deep familiarity with the organization and its activities — assets of particular importance in light of the strategic challenges and opportunities facing Israel and the Mossad at this historic moment,” the statement adds.

Alef will replace Ayin, the Mossad’s deputy director for the past two years, “during which he led the organization’s operational activity and made a significant contribution to the Mossad’s achievements,” the statement concludes.

The announcement comes after Netanyahu last week tapped his military secretary Maj. Gen. Roman Gofman as the next Mossad director. Though Gofman’s appointment is not expected to face much opposition, Barnea had reportedly put forward two alternative names to succeed him, but they were not selected, and some observers have argued that the premier’s choice to appoint someone from outside the Mossad reflects a lack of trust in the agency’s leadership.

A source close to the premier says that Alef’s appointment “reflects Prime Minister Netanyahu’s confidence in the Mossad and its outstanding personnel, and is a continuation of the organization’s offensive activity over the past two years.”