Israeli Police Investigate Two Transport Ministry Officials Over Potential Conflict of Interest
Translated & summarized from Mignews by baba
Israel's police are investigating two senior Ministry of Transport officials, Avri Cohen and Dvir Rubinstein, for potential conflicts of interest due to outside employment. The probe follows media reports about their concurrent work in the aviation industry, including Cohen's role abroad and Rubinstein's consulting for airlines like Flydubai. This investigation is connected to a recent incident on a Flydubai flight where a co-pilot allegedly attacked the captain. No charges have been filed yet, and the inquiry aims to identify procedural violations and potential systemic security oversight issues.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Israeli police are investigating two senior Ministry of Transport officials for potential conflicts of interest.
- Avri Cohen allegedly worked abroad for an aviation security service since 2018 without proper authorization.
- Dvir Rubinstein reportedly provided consulting services to Flydubai and Emirates.
- The investigation is linked to a recent incident on a Flydubai flight where a co-pilot attacked the captain.
- No charges have been filed against the officials at this stage.
- The probe may reveal systemic issues in Israel's foreign flight security oversight.
Israel's police are investigating two senior officials from the Ministry of Transport's civil aviation security department for potential conflicts of interest stemming from outside employment. The probe, conducted by the Lahav-433 unit, focuses on Avri Cohen, head of the security department, and Dvir Rubinstein, head of the aviation security operations center. The investigation was prompted by media reports revealing that both officials engaged in activities related to the aviation industry while employed by the ministry.
Avri Cohen, responsible for security, information, and cybersecurity at the ministry, reportedly worked for several years as a reserve security officer for an Israeli aviation security service abroad, starting in 2018. In this role, he allegedly provided security for Israeli airlines at foreign airports and received separate payment. While Cohen claims he received permission from the ministry in 2018, the State Commission for Public Service stated no such authorization was issued. The ministry confirmed it instructed him to cease this activity until proper approval was obtained.
Dvir Rubinstein, who oversees security for foreign airlines and flights arriving in Israel, is being examined for potential conflicts due to private consulting and training services provided to airlines like Flydubai and Emirates. The police are determining if his external work was legally approved and if it conflicted with his official duties. The ministry maintains Rubinstein's work was performed under an outsourcing contract, outside his official hours, and was legally permitted.
The investigation is linked to a September 30 incident involving Flydubai flight FZ1073, where a co-pilot allegedly attacked the captain and attempted to crash the plane. The flight, carrying approximately 180 people, made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia after passengers and crew intervened. This event triggered a review of security protocols for foreign flights in Israel, including procedures for vetting foreign crews and inter-agency responsibilities.
Israeli media emphasize that this is currently a police inquiry, and no charges have been filed against Cohen or Rubinstein. The goal is to ascertain if there were procedural violations in approving their outside work and if a genuine conflict of interest arose, potentially highlighting systemic issues in Israel's oversight of foreign flight security.
Mentioned
