Israel’s High Court of Justice heard petitions on Thursday challenging the election of attorney Michael Rabillo as state comptroller, and several judges signaled concern that the Knesset voting process may have been compromised. The core allegation is that secrecy was breached when lawmakers photographed or displayed their ballots during the vote.
The panel included Deputy Supreme Court President Noam Sohlberg and Justices Gila Canfy-Steinitz and Ruth Ronen. Retired Supreme Court Justice Yosef Elron, who had also been a candidate, joined the petitioners and argued that the repeat vote held in the Knesset was unlawful. He asked the court to freeze Rabillo’s entry into office and order a fresh election.
Canfy-Steinitz said the reported conduct appeared to violate ballot secrecy, telling the hearing, “It is hard to say these cases did not breach the secrecy principle. There was some kind of violation here.” She also questioned whether statements made before the repeat vote could have influenced lawmakers’ behavior. The judges pressed the Knesset’s lawyer, Itzhak Brat, on whether the repeated photographing suggested an instruction or at least an atmosphere that allowed the breach. Brat said no instruction had been proven, but added that if such guidance had been given, it would have been illegal and could have affected the validity of the process.
The hearing also touched on a conflict of interest claim. A representative of one petitioner argued that Rabillo has represented Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Likud, and the government in dozens of legal proceedings, creating a serious obstacle to his appointment as comptroller. The judges asked whether there are precedents for disqualifying a candidate because of such extensive professional ties.
The session ended without a ruling. The court’s eventual decision will determine whether Rabillo’s election stands or the Knesset must conduct a new selection process.
