High Court freezes appointment of Michael Rabello as state comptroller over vote concerns

The High Court of Justice issues an interim order freezing the entry of Michael Rabello into the position of state comptroller until it can issue a final decision on petitions against his appointment.

The court is currently considering petitions asking that it annul the controversial June 3 Knesset vote in which Rabello was elected as state comptroller, after several Likud MKs photographed or videoed themselves voting for Rabello, reportedly on the instructions of senior Likud officials.

In a recent hearing by the court, the justices appeared highly critical of the way the vote was conducted, suggesting that the law requiring that the election be conducted by secret ballot was violated, and indicated they would intervene in the matter — likely by declaring the vote void and ordering the Knesset to hold it again.

Outgoing State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman was scheduled to leave office on July 3, and Rabello was expected to take up his position on July 4. The court says it needs more time to write its ruling and therefore freezes Rabello’s entry into the position until it can issue its decision. The court says it will issue the ruling as quickly as possible.

The court had previously urged the Knesset to redo the vote but Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana refused.