The former deputy to Mossad director Meir Dagan has been named as his successor.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu named Tamir Pardo as the new chief of Israel’s intelligence service, despite speculation that he would look outside the organisation and choose the head of Israel’s domestic intelligence service, Shin Bet.

Mr Pardo has worked in the organisation for much of his career. He resigned as Mr Dagan’s deputy last year amid claims of disagreements.

He is also believed to have been under the command of Yoni Netanyahu, brother of the Prime Minister, during the rescue of hostages at Entebbe, Uganda, in 1973.

Mr Dagan has served eight years in the role, during which Mossad saw notable successes including the strike of a Syrian nuclear installation in 2007.

However he has also overseen controversial periods for the organisation, including the assassination of a Hamas operative in Dubai in January, for which Mossad was blamed.

In a statement Mr Netanyahu praised the new director’s "decades-worth of rich experience in the Mossad”.

He said: “He is the right man to usher the organisation through the coming years in the face of complicated challenges".

Defence Minister Ehud Barak described Mr Pardo as “a responsible professional with the richest operational experience possible.”

The appointment must now be approved by a government committee.