Ayalon Highways Chairman Appointment Canceled Amid Forgery Allegations

The appointment of Idan David as chairman of Ayalon Highways was canceled following revelations of alleged discrepancies in his presented curriculum vitae (CV). The police have opened an investigation into David on suspicion of forgery and other offenses, prompted by an investigative report from "HaMevaker" (The Critic). The report questioned how David's appointment passed through multiple vetting bodies, including the Ayalon Highways board, the Government Companies Authority, and a committee for examining appointments headed by Judge Shulamit Dotan.

An examination of the board's meeting minutes raised questions about the vetting process for David's experience. Neither the Government Companies Authority nor the committee identified the gaps in his CV before approving the appointment. Notably, two individuals whose signatures appeared on documents submitted by David denied having signed them, yet no one contacted the recommenders to verify their endorsements during the review stages.

The committee subsequently reversed its earlier decision, citing a reasonable suspicion of a significant discrepancy between the information provided and later findings. Political circles are concerned that the ongoing police investigation may uncover whether political figures were aware of the fabricated CV details prior to the appointment.

Sources close to David Amsalem have pointed fingers at Transportation Minister Miri Regev, while Regev's associates suggest an associate of Amsalem pushed for the appointment. Politicians fear the investigation will extend beyond David's submitted documents to examine whether anyone knowingly overlooked the discrepancies.

In addition to the Ayalon Highways role, David's position on the Sports Betting Council is under review by the Attorney General and the appointments committee. The Accountants Council is expected to examine the validity of his license, potentially based on the police investigation's findings. Ayalon Highways is also considering legal action against David, who has denied the forgery allegations, stating that the committee had reviewed his experience and documents and found him qualified.