Israeli Police Investigate Transport Ministry Officials Over Potential Conflicts of Interest

The Israeli Police have launched an investigation into senior officials at the Ministry of Transport amid allegations of conflicts of interest related to their work with aviation companies, including Flydubai. The probe follows media reports about secondary employment and business dealings by these officials.

One of the officials under scrutiny is Avri Cohen, the head of the Ministry of Transport's Security Department. Reports revealed that Cohen has been working concurrently as a "cadet security officer," traveling abroad to oversee security at airports on behalf of Israeli airlines since 2018. Initially, the ministry stated Cohen had approval for this secondary role, but later acknowledged he should cease the additional work without a formal permit.

The second official, Dvir Rubinstein, who provides outsourced aviation safety services to the ministry, is reportedly operating a private company offering consultancy and training to airlines. It was also published that Rubinstein received payments from Flydubai.

The investigation is focusing on whether these activities constitute a conflict of interest, particularly given the Security Department's responsibility for setting security standards for all transport services, including assessing foreign flights and providing security directives to airlines operating to and from Israel. Both officials came under public attention following the Flydubai incident and the defined scope of their department's critical security oversight role.

It is important to note that both Avri Cohen and Dvir Rubinstein have not been charged or convicted, and the presumption of innocence applies.