Overview
- In a rerun vote that followed an interrupted ballot, the Knesset elected Michael Rabello 61-57 after retired justice Yosef Elron led 60-57 in the first round but fell short of the 61-vote threshold required for an immediate win.
- Reports said some coalition lawmakers recorded or publicized their secret ballots to show loyalty after the first round, a practice Knesset legal advisers reportedly called unlawful and that opponents say pressured undecided MKs.
- Speaker Amir Ohana paused the session to consult legal counsel and then ordered the second round restarted from the beginning before Rabello secured the 61 votes needed in the rerun.
- Rabello is a longtime lawyer for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a fact critics cite as a direct conflict of interest because the State Comptroller audits the prime minister and government bodies.
- Opposition parties and civic watchdogs have announced plans to petition the High Court to annul or review the appointment, and the dispute has deepened public debate over ballot secrecy, institutional checks, and the Knesset’s conduct.