During a High Court of Justice hearing on the process to select Israel's next State Comptroller, Judge Kafy-Shteinitz stated that the secrecy principle was violated, according to reports from the courtroom. The comment was made in the context of a petition challenging the Knesset's procedures for the appointment.
During a High Court of Justice hearing Thursday in Jerusalem, Judge Yael Kafy-Shteinitz stated that the secrecy principle was violated in the Knesset's process for selecting Israel's next State Comptroller. The remark was made in open court as the panel heard arguments on a petition challenging the election of Michael Ravilo, a former lawyer to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was elected by the Knesset last week. The judge's comment, reported by Israeli media from the courtroom, framed a central grievance of the petitioners: that the coalition's handling of the selection breached procedural norms, including the confidentiality of candidate discussions. No ruling has been issued yet.
The hearing, which opened at 08:05 Jerusalem, follows a prior version of the same thread at the same hour Thursday: The Zioneer first reported at 08:05 that the court would hear petitions to invalidate Ravilo's election, and within the same minute reported that the hearing had officially begun. No earlier thread items exist on this story. The judge's statement — that there was "a kind of violation of the secrecy principle" — represents the first judicial characterization of the selection process's legality, moving the story from a recounting of court scheduling to a substantive on-record critique from the bench. The source evolution: initial reports cited only that the court was hearing arguments; the new dispatch adds a specific, attributed remark by the presiding judge.
As The Zioneer previously reported, the petition was filed by opposition factions and civil society groups, who argue that the process leading to Ravilo's election was procedurally flawed, including over the confidentiality of deliberations. The appointment has been politically contentious given Ravilo's past representation of the prime minister, a role that petitioners say creates a conflict of interest for the watchdog post.
It remains unclear whether the court will issue an interim order or schedule a follow-up hearing. Judge Kafy-Shteinitz's comment does not constitute a final determination on the petition's merits, and the full panel has yet to rule.
4 developments
- DevelopingState Comptroller-elect Ravilo tells High Court his election was lawful
- DevelopingKnesset legal adviser urges High Court to dismiss petitions against Ravilo appointment
- DevelopingRetired Supreme Court Judge Elron Asks to Freeze Ravilo's Appointment as State Comptroller, Says Second Vote Unlawful
- DevelopingLikud submits legal defense of Ravilo appointment to High Court
Source and signal
- Internal intake