Goffman's Real Test: Not Who He Appoints, but What Institution He Builds

Mossad chief Roman Goffman, who took office on June 2, 2026, faces criticism over controversial appointments at the top of the organization and media noise. The central challenge, according to the analysis, is building power and innovative infrastructure, not necessarily exercising power. Industrial quiet and lessons learned vis-à-vis the community and the IDF are required.

Mossad chief Roman Goffman took office on June 2, 2026, and the period since has been marked by considerable media noise, contrary to what is expected of a secretive organization. Part of the noise stems from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to appoint a young general to the post, and part from three appointment decisions at the top of the organization, which are being received controversially within the intelligence community and among former senior officials. Days after his entry, Goffman dismissed his deputy, sparking a media storm. The main criticism of him includes a demand to create industrial quiet, high concentration at the top, and a focus on building power and establishing innovative infrastructure that aligns with government policy against challenges that have grown exponentially in the past year. Some of the operations that were exposed took 15-20 years to work on, and the Mossad has always killed senior enemies, but the question is whether Goffman can create a broad and stable infrastructure that will bring about a change in the strategic balance. The biggest challenge is building power, not necessarily exercising it. Goffman came to an organization that is a family, and he had to recognize that his appointment was an exceptional event. Some claim he is investing efforts in analyzing regional processes and trying to adapt the building of power to a new process. However, a short period has passed, and an accurate overlap should not close a gap of years. To produce a strategic process, he must promote lessons learned vis-à-vis all organizations in the community, the IDF, and the political echelon. The challenge is especially great when new players challenge Israel, and the Mossad does not know how to work on short timelines. The organization needs industrial quiet and people who know the work, and to convince foreign partners, it must reflect proven capability.