Avner Flor Approved as Israel Railways Chairman After Year Without CEO

The Israeli Cabinet Committee approved Avner Flor as a director of Israel Railways on Monday, paving the way for his appointment as chairman. Flor, a longtime senior official in the Ministry of Transportation who worked closely with Minister Merav Michaeli, is set to replace Moshe Shimoni, recently appointed chairman of Mekorot. This appointment comes after Israel Railways has operated without a permanent CEO for about a year, with the latest recruitment process ending without a suitable candidate.

Flor's expected appointment adds to several controversial senior appointments during Michaeli's tenure, raising concerns about political influence in the Ministry of Transportation. Meanwhile, a separate selection committee including the Ministry's CEO chose Avi Haliva as chairman of the Metro Authority. Haliva's appointment still requires government approval but is not expected to face opposition. The Metro Authority has been without a chairman since Uzi Yitzhaki resigned after only five months, during which the authority's operations weakened and staff was reduced to three employees.

The Metro Authority is responsible for managing Israel's largest infrastructure project, overseeing metro line planning, coordinating between infrastructure bodies and local authorities, and managing substantial budgets. The new leadership appointments aim to stabilize and advance these critical transportation bodies.