Michael Rabello, who has served as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s personal attorney for many years, won election as Israel’s state comptroller Wednesday in a disputed Knesset vote marked by allegations of voting irregularities.
The attorney claimed victory in a runoff election after both candidates failed to reach the necessary vote count in the first round of balloting.
During the initial vote, former Supreme Court justice Yosef Elron garnered 60 votes compared to Rabello’s 57. Parliamentary regulations require 61 votes for a first-round victory.
The decisive second round saw Rabello prevail over Elron with a 61-57 vote margin.
Controversy erupted over claims that the voting process violated ballot secrecy requirements. News reports indicated that Likud party members faced pressure to take photos or videos of their ballots as proof they supported Rabello, despite laws mandating secret voting.
These claims drew harsh condemnation from opposition lawmakers, who characterized the ruling Likud party’s behavior as resembling a “crime organization.”
Media reports also suggested that cabinet members believed to favor Elron were called to Netanyahu’s office while voting was underway.
Due to the mounting concerns, Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana mandated a complete restart of the second voting round. Ohana declared that any directive telling legislators to document their ballots was “illegal and invalid.”
Vote totals shifted between the rounds, suggesting some parliament members altered their choices.
Opposition groups plan to challenge the election results in the High Court of Justice, citing alleged procedural violations.
Rabello’s legal work has encompassed representing Netanyahu across multiple court cases and has also included representation of Netanyahu’s spouse, Sara Netanyahu. His professional duties have extended to participating in political negotiations tied to the prime minister.
The state comptroller position functions as an independent watchdog agency answerable directly to the Knesset. This office conducts audits of government departments, oversees municipal government operations, examines political party finances, and safeguards public interests.
