According to a report by The Times of Israel on Friday, May 8, 2026, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has submitted his response to a petition at the High Court of Justice opposing the appointment of Maj. Gen. Roman Gofman as the next director of the Mossad intelligence agency.
In his submission, Netanyahu argued that the appointment of Gofman falls under a security decision and should therefore be largely exempt from judicial oversight. The prime minister maintained that responsibility for national security decisions rests with the head of government.
“There is actually good reason to assume that the rationality for the prime minister’s decision is ten times better than the ‘rationality’ of anyone else, including the honorable court,” Netanyahu wrote in his response.
He further stated that “the responsibility for the security of the state and its citizens lies with the prime minister, and him alone,” reinforcing his position that such appointments are within his exclusive authority as head of government.
The petition challenging Gofman’s appointment was filed by Ori Elmakayes and Telem – the Movement for Integrity in Government. It focuses on Gofman’s actions in 2022 while serving as commander of the IDF’s 210th “Bashan” Regional Division in the Golan Heights, when he authorized the use of Elmakayes, then 17 years old, in an Arabic-language influence campaign.
According to the petition, the incident led to serious consequences for Elmakayes, including detention and interrogation by the Shin Bet domestic security agency. He was reportedly held in isolation for two months, charged with espionage offenses, and remained in detention for 18 months before the charges were ultimately dropped.
Telem stated that the petition also cites allegations that Gofman did not provide full and truthful accounts to IDF investigators during the inquiry into the incident. It further claims that Gofman did not publicly address the matter during legal proceedings involving Elmakayes and failed to accept responsibility for the episode.
The petition also references what it describes as concerns regarding Gofman’s conduct and credibility, including his handling of the affair and its aftermath.
Additionally, the filing points to the position of the chair of the Senior Appointments Advisory Committee, retired Supreme Court president Asher Grunis, who opposed Gofman’s appointment.
While the three junior members of the committee approved the nomination, concluding that the incident should not prevent Gofman from leading the Mossad, Grunis issued a separate opinion recommending that the appointment be disqualified……See More
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