Olmert extends term of office of Mossad chief
JERUSALEM (AFP) — Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said on Sunday he had extended by a year the term of office of the head of the Mossad spy agency, whose top task has been thwarting Iran's nuclear drive.
"Prime Minister Ehud Olmert announced at the start of the cabinet meeting this morning that he had decided to extend the office of the Mossad director Meir Dagan by one more year, until the end of 2009," Olmert's office said.
Dagan has headed the intelligence service since 2002 and has played a central role in efforts to counter Iran's nuclear programme, which Israel and the United States say aims at developing an atomic bomb, a claim denied by Tehran.
"Meir Dagan has been carrying out his duties with great success, and the list of Mossad's achievements under his leadership is very impressive. There is no doubt that there has been a thrust in Mossad's work," Olmert was quoted as saying.
Dagan, 61, was a political advisor to former premier Ariel Sharon and anti-terrorism advisor to former primer minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
