Israel's top court freezes appointment of Netanyahu’s lawyer as state comptroller

Israel’s Supreme Court on Wednesday froze the appointment of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s personal lawyer Michael Rabello as state comptroller pending a final ruling on opposition petitions challenging his election.

The court issued an injunction halting Rabello’s appointment until a final decision is reached on petitions filed after his election, Israel’s public broadcaster said.

The decision was issued unanimously by an expanded panel of five judges, it added.

The Knesset, Israel’s parliament, elected Rabello as state comptroller on June 3, but opposition parties challenged the process, alleging the secret ballot was marred by irregularities, and petitioned the Supreme Court to annul the results.

The term of current State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman is due to end in the coming days, the broadcaster said, without giving an exact date.

The court had previously raised concerns over Rabello’s election process, particularly regarding ballot secrecy, it added.

The Knesset speaker later said he would not allow a repeat vote, prompting the court to temporarily freeze the appointment until it rules on the case, according to the broadcaster.

Israel’s state comptroller oversees the economy, state property, funds, administration and ministries, as well as government institutions, companies, local authorities and other bodies subject to legal oversight.

The post operates independently of the government, is accountable only to the Knesset, and is elected by secret ballot for a single seven-year term.

Netanyahu has been wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) since 2024 on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed against Palestinians in Gaza, where nearly 73,000 people have been killed and over 173,000 others in a genocidal war since October 2023.

*Writing by Lina Altawell in Istanbul