Netanyahu: Gofman will lead Mossad, it’s my decision to make

Insinuating that bigotry and elitism are behind opposition to Maj. Gen. Roman Gofman’s appointment as the next Mossad chief, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stresses that the decision is his to make.

“Only the prime minister appoints the head of the Mossad,” says Netanyahu in a video statement.

“The Mossad and the Shin Bet are directly subordinate to the prime minister by law,” he continues. “Not the attorney general, not the Supreme Court, and not the media.”

His comments come a day after Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara told the High Court of Justice that she opposed the appointment of Gofman, Netanyahu’s military secretary, as the next director of the vaunted intelligence agency. Gofman’s character has come under scrutiny for his conduct in approving an unauthorized “influence operation” that led to the interrogation and lengthy incarceration of the minor his unit employed in the matter, with Gofman accused of abandoning the teen once he was arrested.

Gofman, says Netanyahu, “is a heroic fighter. He is courageous and one of the most highly regarded operational commanders in the IDF.”

He says that Gofman has demonstrated “exceptional leadership” and “out-of-the-box thinking” in Israel’s recent wars.

“He has courage, initiative, determination, and cunning,” says Netanyahu. “But above all, he has independent thinking and supreme responsibility for Israel’s security.”

“Why are they trying to disqualify him?” asks Netanyahu. “Because he’s not part of the clique? Because Roman immigrated from the Soviet Union? Because of political considerations? Because he is my military secretary?”

Gofman, emphasizes Netanyahu, will lead the spy organization.