High Court Hears Petitions Challenging Michael Ravivo’s Election as State Comptroller

Israel’s High Court of Justice heard petitions on Thursday challenging the Knesset election of attorney Michael Ravivo as state comptroller. The dispute centers on the second round of voting in the Knesset, after a stir erupted in the plenum when Likud lawmakers were instructed to photograph themselves voting for Ravivo behind the curtain.

Ravivo filed his response to the petitions two days earlier and asked the court to reject them. Through his lawyer, he said he is taking up the post with “deep responsibility and full commitment to all citizens of Israel,” and denied any political dependence or other impropriety. He argued that the election was conducted according to law and that the petitions do not justify judicial intervention or the remedies requested. His lawyer also said Israeli law assumes that decent people will perform their duties faithfully even if they have ties to appointing officials, and that Ravivo should be presumed to act honestly and fairly toward all Israelis.

The Knesset’s response also asked the court to throw out the petitions. It said no concrete evidence was presented in real time or in the petitions to show that MKs were required to document their vote. At the same time, the Knesset’s legal adviser warned that if such an instruction had indeed been given, it would be a very serious act that could have real consequences for the validity of the entire election.

On Wednesday, retired Supreme Court Justice Yosef Elron, who ran against Ravivo for the comptroller post, asked the High Court to annul the second voting round, saying it was unlawful. He thereby joined the petitioners in seeking to disqualify the candidate backed by the prime minister’s attorney. Ravivo was elected to the role earlier this week.