Transport Ministry Denies Approving Additional Work for Senior Official

The Ministry of Transport has been accused of misleading the public regarding claims that Avri Cohen, the Director of the Security Department, received approval in 2018 to work privately for airlines he oversees. This contradicts a report by Michael Hauser-Tov in Haaretz alleging a conflict of interest due to Cohen's concurrent work as a flight security officer abroad.

The ministry initially stated that Cohen had received permission from "the management at the time," implying responsibility lay with the previous leadership under Keren Turner. However, regulations for civil service employees of Cohen's rank require special approval from the Civil Service Commission for private work. The Commission clarified that it "did not approve and was not aware of Avri Cohen's private work." Furthermore, any such approval would have been valid for only five years and required renewal in 2023, which did not occur.

When questioned about whether Cohen held a valid permit from the Commission, as opposed to the Ministry of Transport which lacks the authority, the ministry's response shifted. They stated that upon learning of Cohen's additional employment, he was instructed to cease immediately until proper authorization was granted. The ministry acknowledged that it did not submit a request to the Civil Service Commission for Cohen's permit and therefore, no such permit was issued.