Israeli Oversight Agencies Face Crisis as State Comptroller Post Remains Vacant for Over a Month

More than a month after the Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana decided not to hold a repeat election for the State Comptroller position, despite a Supreme Court ruling, the president of Israel's Internal Auditors Association has warned of serious risks to the country's oversight systems. Doron Ronen, president of the IIA Israel, called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, and Supreme Court President Isaac Amit to urgently resolve the crisis.

The vacancy emerged after the Supreme Court invalidated the second round of elections for State Comptroller, in which attorney Michael Regev was elected, due to significant breaches of voting secrecy. The court ordered a new vote, but Ohana refused to convene the Knesset plenum to conduct it. Consequently, with the end of Matanyahu Englman’s term in early July, the position has remained unfilled.

Ronen emphasized that the absence of a State Comptroller, who also serves as the Public Complaints Commissioner, leaves whistleblowers and public employees vulnerable. The Comptroller has the authority to issue urgent protection orders to prevent retaliation against those exposing corruption. Without this protection, internal auditors and whistleblowers risk harassment and dismissal, which could deter others from reporting misconduct.

He warned that the message sent by leaving the Public Complaints Commissioner role vacant is damaging: "You are on your own." Ronen stressed that a functioning and healthy state cannot afford even a single day without protection for whistleblowers and internal auditors. He urged the Knesset, government, and relevant authorities to immediately find a permanent or temporary solution to fill these critical roles and safeguard Israel’s oversight mechanisms.