Likud and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu filed an affidavit with the High Court of Justice on Wednesday in response to petitions seeking to cancel the election of Attorney Michael Rablivo as state comptroller. The petitions, and a related show-cause order issued by the justices, argue that the vote was tainted by a breach of secrecy.
In their response, Likud said the election process was clean and that the court was being asked to intervene in a way that contradicts settled case law, harms the separation of powers, and undermines the Knesset’s status. The party said the dispute arose after a first-round uproar, when the coalition and opposition reportedly reached a real-time understanding that any lawmaker who wanted to photograph a ballot would not be prevented from doing so.
Attorney Ilan Bombach, who represents Likud, accused the opposition of denying that agreement in bad faith. He said their conduct showed “chronic bad faith,” and warned that the opposition is building a “safety certificate” that could later be used to challenge the results of national elections in the name of basic democratic principles. Likud’s filing asked whether the opposition would use similar claims after future general election results are announced, arguing that such a path should not be opened.
Likud also said the opposition has created a cynical “win-win” situation, if the results suit it, it will accept them, and if not, it will renounce the agreement and go to court while invoking core values.
To rebut claims that coalition members were ordered to document their votes to ensure loyalty, Likud attached signed affidavits from ministers and lawmakers, including May Golan, Gila Gamliel, Hanoch Milwidsky, Shlomo Karhi, and Sasson Gvata. They said they received no instruction to record or publish their votes and did so on their own initiative. Likud manager-general David Sharan also said Netanyahu gave no such order or request.
