Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday named former Mossad Assistant Director Tamir Pardo as the new chief of the organization.

Pardo will be replacing Meir Dagan, who served as the head of the Mossad for the past eight years.

Netanyahu noted that “Pardo has vast experience in the Mossad that spans over decades, and is the right person to lead the organization over the next few years, in light of the complex challenges facing the State of Israel.”

The prime minister also expressed his deep gratitude to the outgoing chief, and mentioned his great contribution to the security of Israel.

Netanyahu said he is certain Dagan will continue to contribute to the State in different ventures.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak congratulated Pardo for the appointment. “I have known Tamir for many years, back from when we went on daring operations together. He is a professional man with vast operational experience, who is deserving of the job,” Barak noted.

Perdo left the Mossad in a storm two years ago after Dagan expressed a clear objection to back his candidacy for the position.

Among the candidates for the position of Mossad chief were Shin Bet Director Yuval Diskin – who will also end his term in the near future – and head of the IDF Military Intelligence Amos Yadlin.

Other names mentioned for the job were of IDF Generals Gadi Eisenkot and Benny Ganz, as well as Netanyahu’s head negotiator in the effort to release kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit, Hagai Hadasm, who announced that he is not interested in the position.

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(Source: Ynet)