Israel Police Investigate Transport Ministry Officials for Conflict of Interest

The Israeli Police are investigating two senior officials in the Ministry of Transport for suspected conflicts of interest, as they allegedly worked for foreign airlines, including UAE-based Flydubai, while responsible for aviation security and pilot identity checks for flights to Israel. The national fraud squad, Lahav 433, is examining the conduct of Avraham Cohen, head of the Aviation Security Division, and Dvir Rubinstein, director of the Aviation Security Operations Center. The investigation was initiated after ministry officials reported suspicions that Cohen and Rubinstein were working for foreign airlines operating flights to Israel. A Haaretz report indicated that Cohen was allegedly performing additional work as a security official at a foreign airport concurrently with his ministry role. Lahav 433 is scrutinizing Cohen's employment contract to determine if he received approval for this secondary employment, as the Israeli Civil Service Commission reportedly never sanctioned it. Cohen claimed he received approval from the Director General of the Ministry of Transport in 2018 when he began his ministry tenure. Rubinstein is also under investigation for potential conflicts of interest related to his freelance work alongside his ministry position. According to Channel 12, Rubinstein received payments from multiple sources, including Flydubai, for consulting services. Investigators are examining whether Rubinstein's employment agreement prohibits consulting for foreign companies and if he was obligated to disclose his outside work. The investigation may extend to other ministry employees. The ministry's Aviation Security Division, responsible for monitoring Israel's air, sea, and land space, is reportedly operating without staff and a budget, according to the website Walla!