Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sharply criticized Mossad Director David Barnea over his legal opinion regarding the appointment of Roman Gofman, and was reportedly furious over Barnea’s appeal to the High Court through the Attorney General without informing him.
According to a report by journalist Avishai Grinzaig on i24NEWS, Netanyahu harshly attacked Barnea following the latter’s cooperation with Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara on the petition to Israel’s High Court of Justice concerning the appointment of Roman Gofman as his successor.
According to the report, Netanyahu was enraged that Barnea had submitted a letter to the justices through the Attorney General, despite the fact that she is not representing the government’s position in this petition.
“How are you acting behind my back?" Netanyahu reportedly told Barnea. “This is undermining authority. You are subordinate to the prime minister."
Netanyahu emphasized that Barnea attempted to persuade the judges after the authorized appointments committee had already reached a decision, and claimed that the move was carried out without authority and while concealing the information from him.
Barnea, however, reportedly defended himself and clarified that he - not the Attorney General - initiated the appeal. According to him, he viewed the move as a “supplementary argument" to the claims he had previously presented before the senior appointments committee.
Barnea explained that he wanted to ensure his professional opinion would be brought before the judges, and was told that the only legal way to do so was through the Attorney General’s office.
The Prime Minister’s Office and the Mossad declined to comment officially on the report.