Israeli Government Probes Chairman of Ayalon Highways Over Inflated Credentials

Israel's Government Companies Authority is investigating Idan David, the chairman of Ayalon Highways, following allegations that he significantly misrepresented his professional experience and qualifications during his appointment process. The authority sent David a letter demanding a response by Tuesday, accompanied by a lawyer's affidavit, after a Channel 12 news report revealed discrepancies in the data he provided.

David was appointed to the Ayalon Highways board in July 2025 and elected chairman later that month. The appointment committee had previously determined he met the experience requirements, citing his tenure as CEO of Ashkelon Municipality and as deputy CEO of Migdalit. The authority's letter notes that his role in Ashkelon involved managing a budget of approximately NIS 2.5 billion and overseeing about 260 employees. For Migdalit, he reportedly presented figures indicating the company had a balance sheet of about NIS 1.1 billion, revenues of NIS 814 million, and 407 employees.

However, Channel 12 presented financial statements suggesting Migdalit's 2015 revenues were only around NIS 16.9 million and its balance sheet was approximately NIS 19.2 million. Furthermore, the accountant who reportedly approved David's qualifications has denied signing the document or handling the company's reports. The authority also flagged discrepancies regarding IDY Group, where David claimed to be CEO, stating the company generated NIS 2.1 billion in revenue with a NIS 4.8 billion balance sheet and 320 employees, despite claims that the company, headed by David's wife, lacks physical offices.

The Government Companies Authority is now requesting external documentation to verify the scale of these operations. The letter emphasizes that providing inaccurate information during a government company appointment can lead to the revocation of the appointment and the termination of the individual's tenure. David, in response to the report, stated that the appointment committee thoroughly reviewed his experience and documents, confirming he met the requirements and had no conflicts of interest. He asserted that any claim of document forgery is extremely serious and highlighted his management and development work during his tenure in Kiryat Motzkin.