The nominee, identified only by the Hebrew initial ‘Dalet,’ will take over as spymaster for the Israeli PM’s confidant Yossi Cohen if approved, according to the Times of Israel.
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday said he has selected the deputy head of the Mossad to be the next chief of the spy agency.
The official, who was identified only by the Hebrew initial “Dalet,” was described in a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office as having a “stellar record and a lot of experience.”
The statement added that his nomination had been submitted to the Goldberg Commission, which vets candidates for senior posts.
“The Mossad has great and significant challenges in safeguarding the security of Israel. "We will wait for the approval of the Goldberg Commission and wish Dalet's success in his position,” a separate statement from Defense Minister Benny Gantz said.
Hebrew-language media reported that Netanyahu hadn’t informed Minister of Defense Beny Gantz about his choice ahead of time, amid deep distrust between the two leaders.
Gantz was said to have called Netanyahu and expressed his fury.
Formally, the prime minister isn’t obligated to inform the defense minister of that decision ahead of time, but that is the accepted practice.
If approved, Dalet will take over for Yossi Cohen, a close confidant of Netanyahu who served as the premier’s national security adviser before he became Mossad chief in January 2016.
His term as Mossad leader was set to end in January, but in July Netanyahu said he would extend it until June 2021.
Cohen has served as Netanyahu’s chief envoy for the government’s most sensitive diplomatic assignments and took a leading role in the recent normalization agreements with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.
He has been identified as a prime contender to replace Netanyahu as head of Likud, since he is a popular figure. Some unconfirmed reports have suggested he is Netanyahu’s favorite to succeed him.
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