Police summon MK Haskel to testify on her claim she was ordered to film vote for state comptroller

New Hope MK Sharren Haskel has been summoned to give open testimony to police amid conflicting accounts about a controversial Knesset vote last month to select Michael Rabello as state comptroller.

The summons, reported by Hebrew outlets, comes after Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara instructed police to probe conflicting affidavits filed by Haskel and the Likud party, and explore the possibility of launching a criminal investigation for perjury into whoever is found to be lying.

Haskel, whose New Hope party merged with Likud last year, testified in the High Court of Justice that she and other coalition lawmakers were instructed to film themselves voting for Rabello, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s preferred candidate and longtime attorney.

The alleged instruction — which flouts a legal requirement mandating a secret ballot for such votes — came after Rabello fell short in the first round of voting. During the second round, some MKs were seen holding their phones as they went to vote for the state comptroller.

Haskel’s testimony contradicted affidavits filed in court by Likud executive director David Sharan and several Likud MKs, who said coalition lawmakers had not been instructed to record their votes.

The High Court froze Rabello’s appointment earlier this month, ordering a new vote to assuage concerns over possible violations of the process. The coalition has refused to hold a new vote, and Rabello has refused to take the role without a revote, meaning the comptroller position is currently vacant.

The state comptroller vote took place before Haskel resigned from her position as deputy foreign minister in protest of a coalition-backed law to ban the arrests of Haredi draft dodgers. She gave her testimony to the High Court after quitting the government.