Israel picks new head of Mossad spy agency

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday picked the next director of the Mossad spy agency, identified only as "D", to replace Yossi Cohen, a high-profile player in recent normalisation deals with Arab states.

Netanyahu "decided to appoint Deputy Mossad Director 'D' as the next Mossad Director. 'D' is an accomplished Mossad veteran," a statement from the prime minister's office said. Israel does not customarily disclose the names of top Mossad personnel, except the director, whose identity is generally known to the public. But Cohen is widely seen as having a more prominent public profile than many past chiefs of the foreign intelligence service.