Legal sources: Incoming Mossad chief may have obstructed his vetting process – Haaretz

Roman Gofman, the incoming director of Mossad, is facing allegations that he obstructed the vetting process for his appointment to lead the intelligence agency. These allegations have resulted in legal challenges to his appointment filed before the Israel High Court.

Legal sources informed Haaretz on May 17, 2026, that Gofman’s conduct during the vetting process could be considered a serious integrity issue, regardless of other factors involved in the appointment.

The scrutiny follows reports from April 30, 2026, indicating that Gofman contacted several individuals before they provided testimony to the committee responsible for vetting his appointment. These individuals were involved in a highly contentious incident that had occurred while they were under Gofman’s command.

The outreach to potential witnesses prior to their appearance before the vetting panel has become a central point of the legal disputes now before the Israeli judiciary.

The Israel High Court is currently reviewing the challenges to the appointment as part of the legal proceedings regarding Gofman’s suitability to lead the agency.