Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu has selected Esther Shreiber, chief executive officer of the INEXTG Group, to serve as the next director of the Israel Antiquities Authority, making her the first woman to hold the role. Her appointment will be submitted to the authority's council and the government for approval following a selection process that reviewed dozens of candidates.

Shreiber holds degrees in the History of the Jewish People and in Public Administration and Policy, and she has received academic recognition for her research on the Second Temple period. The selection committee was led by the Director-General of the Heritage Ministry and included senior public and professional figures.

Her appointment has drawn criticism from some in the archaeological community. Professor Aharon Meir of Bar-Ilan University argued that other candidates with stronger archaeological and senior government management backgrounds were passed over and warned that political considerations could harm Israel's international standing in archaeology.

Eliyahu rejected the criticism, describing Shreiber as an experienced manager who led a large organization with a substantial budget and who understands the historical significance of archaeological work. He expressed confidence that she would successfully guide the authority into the future despite public backlash.