Israeli Transport Ministry Official Advised UAE Airlines Amid Conflict of Interest Concerns

Dvir Rubinstein, who heads the Aviation Security Operational Management Center at Israel's Ministry of Transport, has been reportedly engaged in paid private consultations with foreign airlines, including UAE-based flydubai and Emirates, according to Israel's Channel 12. Rubinstein, who has held his position for 19 years and is responsible for approving aircraft arrivals in Israel and overseeing flights between Dubai and Tel Aviv, allegedly conducted training and consultations for these carriers.

The revelations have surfaced amid heightened attention on the Dubai-Tel Aviv route following a recent security incident on a flydubai flight. Journalists have presented evidence of Rubinstein's trips to the UAE for training seminars, highlighting a potential conflict of interest as he was paid by commercial entities whose safety he is tasked with monitoring for the state.

During a webinar, Rubinstein was shown discussing lessons learned from the 9/11 attacks, emphasizing the importance of pre-flight checks for crews and passenger lists. However, this appears to contradict a previous statement he made after an emergency incident, where he indicated that Israeli authorities do not conduct deep background checks on foreign crew members, relying instead on the originating countries' authorities and the carriers themselves.