Minister's Associate Accused of Falsifying Resume for Top Infrastructure Role

Idan David, a 40-year-old accountant closely associated with Transportation Minister Miri Regev, is facing accusations of significantly exaggerating his professional experience in his resume for the chairmanship of Netivei Ayalon, a major state-owned infrastructure company. The allegations, reported by Ynet citing an investigation by Channel 12 journalist Yossi Mizrahi, suggest David's resume was inflated to meet the minimum requirements for the position, which oversees multi-billion dollar projects.

According to the investigation, David claimed to have managed budgets of approximately 1 billion shekels and led a team of 400 people. However, sources indicate his actual team size was under ten, and the budgets he managed were around 20 million shekels. Mizrahi's probe into David's past, starting in 2012 at the agricultural company Migdalit, found discrepancies. David described his role there as "financial director of a large company," omitting the company's significant debts and a pending indictment for illegal labor practices. Furthermore, individuals named as references denied signing documents, and the former CEO of Migdalit, Sasson Raviv, stated that signatures on key documents were forgeries, claiming David only asked for a simple employment verification, not a confirmation of a financial director role.

Further allegations suggest that David's reported achievements in real estate and hospitality projects while heading Kiryat Motzkin's economic company were also unrealized. Mizrahi confronted David with these discrepancies, who has yet to provide a full explanation. The investigation raises concerns about potential criminal offenses during the vetting and appointment process.

David's appointment, supported by Minister Regev and Likud Minister David Amsalem, has reportedly caused internal conflict at Netivei Ayalon. David has allegedly attempted to oust the current CEO, Orly Stern, whose tenure is respected, despite her term not ending until March 2027. These attempts have been blocked by the Government Companies Authority, which cited Stern's successful performance. The conflict escalated when a representative from the authority accused David of trying to bypass legal counsel and oversight bodies, leading to a formal warning for the chairman.

In response to the investigation, the Government Companies Authority announced it would conduct a thorough review of the documents submitted by David to the appointments committee. David's representatives have stated that his appointment was lawful and received all necessary approvals, calling any claims of document forgery "extremely serious."