Internal Auditors Warn Israel Lacks Protection for Whistleblowers Amid State Comptroller Vacancy

Doron Ronen, President of the Israeli Internal Auditors Institute (IIA Israel), has raised alarm over the absence of protection for whistleblowers and internal auditors following the Israeli Supreme Court's annulment of the recent State Comptroller election. Since the court invalidated the parliamentary vote due to procedural flaws, Israel currently operates without a State Comptroller or Public Complaints Commissioner. The Knesset Speaker has refused to hold a new vote, asserting the original election was valid, creating a stalemate.

Ronen emphasized that without an appointed State Comptroller, there is effectively no official authority to safeguard whistleblowers or internal auditors who report corruption and organizational misconduct. He noted that some whistleblower complaints have been rejected by the Comptroller’s office due to the lack of an active Comptroller. Israeli law grants whistleblower protections exclusively to the State Comptroller, and other officials, such as directors-general, lack such authority.

Ronen cited cases involving dismissals and restricted access to information for whistleblowers who lack the backing of the Comptroller’s office. While legal recourse through the courts exists, it is costly and requires legal representation, which the Comptroller’s office typically provides. In response to these concerns, Ronen has appealed to the Knesset Speaker, the Supreme Court President, and the Prime Minister to resolve the impasse and appoint a Comptroller.

He stressed the need for legislative measures to ensure continuity of the Comptroller’s functions during vacancies, such as transferring powers to a deputy, to prevent governance gaps. Ronen attributed responsibility for the current situation to both the Knesset and the Supreme Court, urging them to avoid politicizing the issue. He also referenced a publicized case involving a senior Shin Bet official alleging corruption, whose whistleblower protection request was denied due to the vacancy.

The ongoing absence of a State Comptroller raises serious concerns about transparency and accountability in Israel’s public sector, with whistleblowers left vulnerable amid institutional deadlock.