Tamir Pardo

(1953- )

Tamir Pardo is the Director of the Mossad.

During his compulsory military service in the Israel Defense Forces, Pardo was a communications officer in the elite commando unit Sayeret Matkal. While a member of the unit, he was under the command of Yoni Netanyahu and participated in Operation Entebbe in 1976.

Pardo was recruited by Mossad after completing his military service and served in various communications and technology-related positions, including several management positions. He served as deputy chief of Mossad under Meir Dagan from 2002 to 2005 and again in 2008. After his first stint as deputy chief, Pardo left Mossad and worked as a special operations advisor for the IDF. Pardo retired from the Mossad in 2009 after Dagan's term as Director was extended for another 6 months.

Pardo was announced as Meir Dagan's replacement for the position by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on November 29, 2010. His term began January 2011.