Mossad Director David Barnea will step down from his position in June 2026, Channel 12 reports, citing a decision reached jointly by Barnea and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the end of their most recent meeting.
Barnea, the last senior defense official still in his post from the time of the October 7 Hamas attacks, is expected to conclude his term after nearly five years at the helm of Israel’s intelligence agency.
Among those who have already stepped down are former IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, Shin Bet Director Ronen Bar and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. Unlike those officials, Barnea was not seen as bearing significant responsibility for the Oct. 7 disaster, as it was the IDF and the Shin Bet, and not Mossad, who oversaw intelligence on Gaza.
According to the report, three candidates are currently being considered to succeed Barnea: Mossad’s current deputy chief, known only as “Alef”; a senior official referred to as “Chet,” who has held a central operational role in the agency for the past two years; and Netanyahu’s military secretary, Maj. Gen. Roman Gofman.
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