Backlash over election for Israeli State Comptroller
Opposition leaders cry foul after Michael Rabello is elected to the post amid allegations of vote manipulation and a smear campaign targeting a rival candidate
Israel's Knesset elected attorney Michael Rabello as the country's next State Comptroller on Tuesday, but the vote was immediately met with fierce opposition backlash, with critics alleging the process was tainted by coercion, threats, and political interference.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulated Rabello on his election, saying he would invite him to a working meeting in the coming days. "We will work together in full cooperation for the benefit of the public service in the State of Israel," Netanyahu said.
Opposition figures were far less happy. Former PM Naftali Bennett alleged that Likud MKs voted under duress. "These were not free votes, but blackmail with threats by Likud MKs who are under the threat of a price tag from the boss," Bennett said, calling the process "fundamentally contaminated." He argues the vote should be disqualified outright.
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Both Former PM Yair Lapid and MK Benny Gantz announced that they plan to submit petitions to the Supreme Court over what was described as a violation of vote secrecy and improper intervention by the Knesset Speaker on behalf of the Likud faction. During the vote, concerns were raised that coaltion MKs were attempting to document themselves casting their ballot in the secret vote. Netanyahu’s Likud party had reportedly called for its lawmakers to document themselves casting their vote for Rabello.
Democrats Chairman Yair Golan went further, accusing the coalition of behaving like a criminal organization. "What happened today in the Knesset plenary is the clear conduct of a criminal organization: extortion, threats and intimidation," Golan said. Yisrael Beiteinu Chairman Avigdor Liberman questioned what Netanyahu had promised coalition members in exchange for their support, referring to Rabello as the PM's "private lawyer."
The election came amid an i24NEWS exclusive revealing that Arab MKs received a document from a coalition source targeting rival candidate, retired judge Yosef Elron, listing his rulings against Arab citizens in an apparent bid to turn Arab lawmakers against him. The document was first reported by i24NEWS Hebrew correspondent Amiel Yerhi. The controversy followed a first round of voting in which no candidate secured the 61-vote threshold required by law, triggering a second round won by Rabello.