The High Court of Justice strongly recommended on Thursday that the Knesset redo its vote of Michael Rabello for the position of state comptroller, due to concerns that the required secret ballot was violated in the original, highly controversial election earlier this month.
“We are suggesting a procedural step that does not interfere with the discretion of the Knesset. In simple Hebrew: do it again,” court Deputy President Noam Sohlberg said at the end of a lengthy hearing on the issue.
“Whatever you decide is fine, but just do it in a clean and proper manner,” he added.
Sohlberg issued the court’s recommendation after some six hours of oral arguments over petitions demanding the election be annulled.
Sohlberg gave the respondents, which includes the Knesset itself, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Rabello, who is Netanyahu’s longtime lawyer , until Monday to respond, saying that otherwise the court will issue a conditional order against them.
Get The Times of Israel's Daily Edition
by email and never miss our top stories
By signing up, you agree to the terms
The petitions noted that at least seven coalition MKs had recorded themselves voting for coalition candidate Rabello, allegedly on the instructions of senior Likud officials who mistrusted their vote. The petitioners argued that the requirement of Basic Law: State Comptroller that the election be held by secret ballot was therefore violated.
Rabello lost the first round of voting to retired Supreme Court justice Yosef Elron 60-57. A second round of voting had then begun, since a candidate needs 61 votes to be elected, but was aborted after opposition MKs alleged that coalition MKs had been ordered to record their vote.
But during the second vote, at least seven coalition MKs recorded themselves voting for Rabello, who won the election 61-57, with some coalition MKs having apparently switched their votes from the first round.
Attorney Michael Rabello, elected by MKs as state comptroller on June 3, 2026, seen at the Knesset on June 1, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
Last week, coalition MK Sharren Haskel of the New Hope party said that coalition MKs “had been required to enter and record behind the voting booth in order to prove how they voted, like in undemocratic regimes.”
“At the moment there is an undesirable cloud… a bitter taste,” Sohlberg said of the original election.
“Some of the votes are apparently problematic. Members of Knesset acted in opposition to the instructions of Knesset legal adviser [not to record their votes] and through the creation of a new principle that it is ok to record [one’s vote],” the deputy court president added.
During the course of the hearing, all three presiding justices expressed concern that the secret ballot requirement had indeed been violated.
Justice Gila Canfy Steinitz said that at the very least “a type of violation” had been committed, in reference to two incidents in which coalition MKs left the voting booth with their voting slip showing Rabello’s name on display.
“It’s hard to say that these incidents do not violate the principle of a secret ballot. With the recording [inside the voting booth] it’s more difficult, [but] these [outside the ballot box] are easy cases,” said Canfy Steinitz.
The justices aimed several tough questions at the legal representatives of the Knesset, Netanyahu and Rabello.
Lawmakers react during the State Comptroller election in the plenum of the Knesset, in Jerusalem, June 3, 2026. (Oren Ben Hakoon/Flash90)
Justice Ruth Ronen said that the sequence of events, from Elron winning the first round, to coalition MKs recording their votes only in the second round, and resulting in Rabello overturning Elron’s advantage and winning the election, was suspicious.
“The question is whether this is not an indication… that there was an instruction, a a request, a suggestion, a statement [to record the vote] that preceded this. Otherwise why did it happen?” she asked.
“Maybe the difference in voting [between the two rounds] shows the consequences,” she continued.
Sohlberg backed her up, asking “why it is not reasonable to assume that this is what happened.”
The court was, however, skeptical of arguments that Rabello could not take up the position because of his multiple conflicts of interest, working for Netanyahu and the Likud party, with Canfy Steinitz asserting that the issue could be resolved by a conflict of interest agreement.
And the justices also pressed the petitioners on what specific principle they wanted the court to establish, noting that formulating such a principle could cause unintended harm to other elections.
Ronen expressed concern that invalidating the state comptroller election because voters recorded their vote might incentivize bad actors to record their votes in other elections in order to invalidate them as well.
This latest appointment imbroglio comes against the background of the current government’s repeated efforts to increase its contr…
Read the full article at The Times of Israel →📄Source document: Maariv Poll
10 reports
The Times of IsraelIndependentCenterFactual 85Objective 856 days agoRetired Supreme Court Justice Yosef Elron has joined legal challenges against the election of Michael Rabello as state comptroller. Rabello, a longtime associate of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was elected following a two-round voting process in the Knesset. The election was marked by allegations of irregularities, including claims that Likud lawmakers photographed their ballots to confirm they voted for Netanyahu's preferred candidate. Elron lost both rounds of voting, with Rabello ultimately winning by a narrow margin.
Bias read (Center): The article presents facts without overtly favoring any side. It describes the events objectively, citing specific details about the election process, the candidates involved, and the allegations of irregularity. There is no clear editorializing or biased language that would indicate a leaning in a
Official sources cited
- statement State Comptroller Law
The Jerusalem PostIndependentCenterFactual 85Objective 859 days agoA recent poll indicates that Likud, led by Benjamin Netanyahu, is experiencing a decline in public favor, particularly amidst tensions with Iran and controversial legislative actions. Despite this drop, the broader coalition bloc has retained its strength, maintaining 50 seats.
Bias read (Center): The article presents factual polling data without overtly biased language or selective sourcing. It reports on a decline in support for Likud and Netanyahu but also notes the stability of the coalition bloc, providing a balanced view of the situation.
Official sources cited
- press release Maariv Poll (August 2025)
The Times of IsraelIndependentRightFactual 85Objective 8512 days ago Knesset panel revises bill creating political Oct. 7 probe, preserves coalition controlIsrael's Knesset Constitution Committee revised a bill creating a political probe into October 7, removing a controversial clause about the comptroller's role while keeping the probe proceeding without opposition participation, allowing the coalition to maintain control of the process.
Bias read (Right): The headline emphasizes the coalition's preservation of control and exclusion of opposition, framing the revision with a subtle critical lean toward the governing coalition's political maneuvering.
The Jerusalem PostIndependentCenter2 days ago Eisenkot's Yashar ties Netanyahu's Likud at 21 seats as opposition regains Knesset majority - pollA recent poll indicates that Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party has surpassed Naftali Bennett's Together party and is now tied with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud with 21 seats each. The opposition bloc, excluding Arab parties, is projected to hold a majority of 61 seats, while the current government coalition would have only 49 seats. The poll also notes that Likud has declined steadily since the start of Operation Roaring Lion, having lost seven seats since the war with Iran began.
Bias read (Center): The article presents factual data from a poll without apparent ideological framing. It reports on shifting political dynamics without using biased language or emphasizing one side over another. The content remains neutral in tone and focuses on numerical projections rather than taking a stance on政策或
Official sources cited
- press release Maariv Poll
The Times of IsraelIndependentCenter2 days ago New poll sees Eisenkot sail past Bennett to tie with Netanyahu’s LikudA new poll indicates that former IDF chief Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party is now tied with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud at 23 seats each, surpassing former premier Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid's Together party, which would secure 19 seats. The Zionist opposition bloc, comprising Yashar and Together, remains one seat short of forming a government without additional support from Netanyahu's bloc or Arab parties. The poll also notes shifts in other parties' seat counts.
Bias read (Center): The article presents polling data objectively, without overtly favoring any political side. It reports on shifts in party standings and potential coalition dynamics without using loaded language or emphasizing one perspective over another. The framing is neutral, focusing on numerical changes and om
Official sources cited
- press release Zman Yisrael Poll
The Times of IsraelIndependentCenter3 days ago High Court urges Knesset to redo state comptroller election ‘cleanly, properly’The High Court of Justice has urged the Knesset to redo the election of Michael Rabello as state comptroller, citing concerns that the secret ballot process may have been compromised during the original election. Deputy President Noam Sohlberg emphasized that the Knesset should conduct the election 'cleanly and properly.' The court provided the involved parties, including the Knesset, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Rabello, until Monday to respond before potentially issuing a conditional order.
Bias read (Center): The article presents the court's recommendation without overtly favoring any side. It reports on legal proceedings and quotes judicial language neutrally, avoiding loaded terminology or selective emphasis on specific political figures or factions. The framing remains balanced, focusing on procedural
Official sources cited
- government Basic Law: State Comptroller
The Jerusalem PostIndependentCenter3 days ago Bennett forms AI advisory committee to boost Israel's national tech policy ahead of electionsFormer Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has formed an AI advisory committee to help shape Israel's national technology policy ahead of the upcoming elections. The committee aims to enhance Israel's position as a global leader in artificial intelligence by focusing on innovation, education, regulation, and security. Bennett's 'Together' party, formed through a merger with Yair Lapid's Yesh Atid, is part of the opposition bloc challenging current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Bias read (Center): The article presents factual information without overtly biased language or selective sourcing. It reports on Bennett's initiative neutrally, providing context about his political role and the purpose of the AI advisory committee. No clear ideological framing is evident in the wording or emphasis.
Official sources cited
- government Bennett's Office Announcement
The Jerusalem PostIndependentCenter4 days ago Eisenkot makes gains, while Netanyahu, Bennett falter following US-Iran MoU, KAN poll findsA recent KAN News poll indicates that Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party is gaining momentum in Israeli politics, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud and former PM Naftali Bennett's Together party are losing ground. This shift follows the announcement of a US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). According to the poll, 55% of respondents oppose the deal, 18% support it, and 27% are unsure. Additionally, 70% of respondents believe Iran remains a threat despite the agreement.
Bias read (Center): The article presents factual polling data without overtly biased language or selective sourcing. It reports on shifts in political favorability and public opinion regarding the US-Iran MoU without taking a clear stance or emphasizing one side over another. The framing appears balanced, focusing on K
Official sources cited
- press release KAN News Poll
The Times of IsraelIndependentCenter9 days ago In 1st, Eisenkot’s party polls even with Bennett’s, in fight to be Netanyahu election rivalTwo surveys conducted by The Times of Israel's sister site indicate that Yashar and Together parties would tie in a hypothetical Knesset vote, trailing behind Likud. A separate poll suggests that former chief of staff Amos Eisenkot is gaining an advantage over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's rival, Naftali Bennett.
Bias read (Center): The article presents survey results without overtly favoring any political side. It reports findings from multiple polls, indicating a competitive landscape among potential rivals to Netanyahu, but does not use biased language or selectively present information to support a particular viewpoint.
Official sources cited
- organisation ToI's sister site
The Jerusalem PostIndependentCenter12 days ago Gadi Eisenkot challenges Netanyahu to public debate in response to Likud video criticizing himYashar Party leader Gadi Eisenkot challenged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to a public debate ahead of upcoming Israeli elections, after Netanyahu's Likud party released a video claiming Eisenkot could not form a government without the support of Arab parties. Eisenkot's party has risen in recent polls, trailing close behind the Likud and the Together Party led by Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid. Eisenkot has also pledged to launch a state commission of inquiry into the government's handling of the October 7 Hamas attacks if elected, with general elections set to occur no later than October 27.
Bias read (Center): The article reports both Likud's claim and Eisenkot's response in attributed, neutral language without endorsing either side or using loaded framing.
Official sources cited
- statement Gadi Eisenkot's statement
- press release Likud video
IL