Israel Police Investigate Two Senior Transport Ministry Officials Over Flydubai Scandal

Israeli police have launched a criminal investigation into two senior officials at the Ministry of Transport, suspected of involvement in the "Flydubai scandal." The probe, reported Wednesday by Channel 12, focuses on Dvir Rubinstein, Director of the Aviation Security Operations Center, and Avraham (Abri) Cohen, Senior Director of Emergency, Security, Information, and Cyber Affairs. Each official faces separate suspicions.

Rubinstein is suspected of a conflict of interest. It was recently revealed that Rubinstein, whose role in Israel's aviation security is critical, was employed through outsourcing rather than as a state employee, a highly unusual situation given the sensitivity of his position. While the initial issue of his employment status was attributed to his employers, suspicions later arose that Rubinstein himself concurrently worked for foreign airlines, allegedly receiving payment from Flydubai. This raises significant conflict of interest concerns, as he may have had an incentive to avoid imposing difficulties or disqualifying pilots for these airlines.

Cohen's investigation also relates to concurrent work. A report this week in Haaretz revealed that Cohen, in addition to his directorial role, served as a security officer for an Israeli airline abroad. While this may not constitute a conflict of interest, it is considered a potentially serious disciplinary offense. The fact that two of the most senior figures in the ministry's aviation security apparatus held additional jobs simultaneously raises questions about their operational integrity.

The Ministry of Transport has been at the center of a week-long blame game regarding the affair. However, a document revealed by Channel 12 two days ago, published by Cohen on October 1st, appears to acknowledge the Ministry of Transport's responsibility for the incident, citing the Aviation Law. This document adds to testimony from former ministry officials and politicians who stated that a significant dispute existed between government ministries from 2019 to 2021 over who should bear responsibility for oversight. This dispute was reportedly settled by then-Prime Minister Netanyahu and Transportation Minister Miri Regev, who, against the advice of most ministry professionals concerned about their oversight capabilities, decided the Ministry of Transport would assume responsibility, allocating it the necessary staff and resources.

With the revelation of Cohen's document, focus has largely shifted to the senior Ministry of Transport officials involved, particularly Cohen and Rubinstein. While details of their concurrent employment emerged in recent days, the police investigation marks the first criminal probe into the matter. A statement from Rubinstein's representatives indicated he provides services to the ministry via outsourcing, is not a state employee, and his other activities were legally approved and conducted outside his ministry work hours.