Unprecedented
Bombshell Report: "Future Head of Mossad Doesn't Know English"
In a revelation that could endanger Israel's most critical alliance, sources allege that incoming spy chief Roman Gofman - and the new head of the Shin Bet - lack basic proficiency in the language of the CIA and the White House
A new and potentially embarrassing report has cast a heavy shadow over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s controversial decision to appoint his Military Secretary, Roman Gofman, as the next Director of the Mossad.
While the appointment raised eyebrows due to its timing, announced a full six months before Gofman is scheduled to take office, a report by journalist Uri Misgav now suggests a far more practical and alarming disqualification: The incoming spymaster allegedly cannot conduct himself professionally in English.
The "Language Barrier" at the Top
According to the report, which cites sources within the Israeli defense establishment, Gofman, who immigrated to Israel from Belarus as a teenager, does not possess the fluency required to manage Israel's most sensitive strategic relationship.
The ability to speak flawless, nuanced English is not merely a "bonus" for a Mossad Director; it is a prerequisite. The Mossad serves as the primary channel of communication with the CIA, the White House, and British intelligence (MI6).
Predecessors such as Yossi Cohen and the current director, David Barnea, were renowned for their ability to charm, negotiate, and conspire with their American counterparts in their native tongue.
If Gofman indeed lacks this capability, it raises immediate questions about how he intends to sit in intimate, one-on-one meetings with the Director of the CIA during critical wartime negotiations.
Double Trouble: The Shin Bet Connection
The report goes further, painting a picture of a systemic issue within the new wave of security appointments. Misgav alleges that David Zini, tapped for the leadership of the Shin Bet (ISA), suffers from the exact same limitation.
If accurate, this would mean that the heads of both of Israel’s premier intelligence agencies, responsible for internal security and foreign operations respectively, would be unable to communicate freely with their American allies without the aid of translators, a scenario that introduces friction and potential breaches of secrecy in the world of clandestine operations.
A Diplomatic Embarrassment?
The report paints an unflattering portrait of the government's vetting process. Critics are already asking how candidates for the highest security clearances in the land could be selected without ensuring they possess the basic linguistic tools to maintain the "Special Relationship" with Washington.
With Israel currently relying heavily on American intelligence sharing, munitions, and diplomatic cover, the prospect of a "mute" security leadership is being viewed by some as not just embarrassing, but dangerous.