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Wednesday, June 3, 2026
Knesset pauses 2nd state comptroller vote amid uproar after Likud MKs are asked to photograph their secret ballots
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleAriela Karmel is a political correspondent at The Times of Israel. She previously reported for Calcalist and Haaretz. She holds an MA in Middle Eastern and African History from Tel Aviv University and a BA in Political Science from the University of British Columbia.
The Knesset temporarily pauses the second round of voting for state comptroller following an uproar in the plenum over reports that lawmakers from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ruling Likud were instructed to photograph their ballots to prove they voted for Netanyahu’s preferred candidate, his lawyer Michael Rabello, despite the vote being conducted by secret ballot.
According to Hebrew media reports, Likud faction manager Aliza Broshi instructed lawmakers to take a selfie showing their vote, in violation of Knesset law, after Rabello received only 57 votes in the first round of voting. His rival, retired Supreme Court justice Yosef Elron, received 60 votes, meaning that several coalition lawmakers backed the opposition-supported candidate.
Channel 12 news says the lawmakers were not only asked to photograph their ballots, but in fact were requested to film the whole process of putting the slip of paper into the envelope.
Hebrew media also reports that several Likud MKs suspected of voting for Elron are currently being summoned to Netanyahu’s office.
“Likud’s demand that members of Knesset photograph themselves during a secret ballot is a disgrace and an affront to the Knesset of Israel,” says Blue and White leader Benny Gantz.
The Times of Israel Community.