Overview
- The Knesset plenum elected Adv. Michael Rabello 61-57 in a second round of voting on Wednesday after no candidate met the 61-vote threshold in the first round.
- In the first round retired judge Yosef Elron led 60-57 but fell short of the 61 votes required to win outright, and counters reported a blank ballot attributed to MK Yaron Levi that could have been decisive.
- Opposition MKs accused coalition members of being instructed to film their secret ballots, one Likud MK recorded herself at the ballot, and Speaker Amir Ohana paused the session to consult legal advisers before restarting the second round.
- Critics and watchdogs say Rabello’s prior role as Prime Minister Netanyahu’s lawyer creates a potential conflict for an office that audits the government, and Yesh Atid plus the Movement for Quality Government have announced plans to petition the High Court.
- The State Comptroller’s office audits and investigates government conduct including the prime minister, so the contested vote and pending judicial review could shape oversight of the government and public trust in Knesset voting procedures.