Attorney Michael Rabello, the longtime personal lawyer of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was elected Israel’s next state comptroller on Wednesday following a closely contested and controversial vote in the Knesset.
Rabello secured the position in a second-round vote after neither candidate met the required threshold in the initial ballot.
In the first round, retired Supreme Court justice Yosef Elron received 60 votes, while Rabello won 57. Under Knesset rules, a candidate must obtain 61 votes in the opening round to be elected.
The runoff ended with Rabello defeating Elron by a margin of 61 votes to 57.
The election process was overshadowed by over issues involving the secrecy of the ballot. Reports emerged that Likud lawmakers had been pressured to photograph or film their ballots to demonstrate support for Rabello, despite legal requirements that the vote remain secret.
The allegations triggered sharp criticism from opposition parties, which accused the ruling Likud party of operating like a “crime organization.”
According to reports, ministers suspected of supporting Elron were summoned to Netanyahu’s office during the vote.
Amid the controversy, Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana ordered the second round of voting to be restarted in its entirety. Ohana said any instruction requiring lawmakers to photograph their ballots was “illegal and invalid.”
The final tally differed from the earlier vote, indicating that some lawmakers changed their votes between rounds.
Opposition parties are expected to petition the High Court of Justice to overturn the election due to alleged irregularities.
Rabello has represented Netanyahu in numerous legal proceedings and has also acted on behalf of Netanyahu and his wife, Sara Netanyahu. In addition, he has participated in political negotiations connected to the prime minister.
The state comptroller serves as an independent oversight authority that reports directly to the Knesset. The office is responsible for auditing government ministries, monitoring local government activities, reviewing the financial affairs of political parties, and protecting the public interest.
