ISRAEL: Transport Ministry Security Chiefs Found to be Moonlighting

JERUSALEM, Israel

• Following the fall out from the recent flydubai flight FZ1073 attempted hijacking, Israeli media reported two senior officials in the Transport Ministry air transport security services hold separate paid activities.
• Haaretz stated Avri Cohen, ministry transport security chief, works part-time as a reserve security agent for Israeli carriers at a foreign airport on separate pay.
• Meanwhile, N12 reported Dvir Rubinstein, aviation security director for 19 years, performed private paid consulting and training for foreign airlines including flydubai and Emirates.
• Rubinstein supervises security approvals for those carriers on routes to Israel, including the flydubai Dubai-Tel Aviv service targeted in a recent attack.
• The ministry stated Rubinstein operates as a subcontractor, not a civil servant, and his external work was approved and performed outside ministry hours.
• The ministry issued new rules barring crew holding nationality of 27 countries without diplomatic ties to Israel from operating or travelling on flights to or from Israel.
• The listed countries include Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.
• N12 noted that passenger and crew lists from origin countries sometimes arrive after aircraft departure.

Sources:

• Timesofisrael
• N12
• Haaretz