Israel's Supreme Court issued an interim order freezing the appointment of attorney Michael Rabello as State Comptroller until it rules on a series of petitions challenging the legality of his selection.
In its decision, the court said the temporary order was necessary because of the approaching end of the current comptroller's term and to allow sufficient time to issue a final judgment.
"The order is issued in view of the time constraints arising from the end of the incumbent State Comptroller's term and in order to allow sufficient time for rendering a judgment in the proceeding," the court wrote.
The justices emphasized that the order is intended to preserve the status quo until the petitions are decided and said a final ruling would be delivered as soon as possible.
The decision comes just days before the end of the term of State Comptroller Matanyahu Engelman. During earlier hearings, the court expressed concerns over the integrity of the Knesset's voting process after several lawmakers recorded or photographed their ballots in what was meant to be a secret vote.
Earlier this week, an expanded five-justice panel heard seven petitions challenging Rabello's appointment. The petitioners argued that documenting ballots undermined the principle of voting secrecy and compromised the integrity of the election. The Knesset, the Likud party, and the Knesset's legal adviser argued there were no grounds to invalidate the result.
During the hearing, Supreme Court President Yitzchak Amit questioned whether the election could genuinely be considered secret if lawmakers were able to document their votes. Justice Dafna Barak-Erez similarly argued that the existence of voting booths is meaningless if ballot secrecy can be circumvented in practice.
The court proposed that the Knesset hold a new vote to ensure a proper secret-ballot process, but the proposal was rejected by Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, who said he would not permit a repeat election.
Following the hearing, the court issued a conditional order and has now barred Rabello from assuming office until a final ruling is handed down.
The decision drew criticism from members of the governing coalition. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, chairman of the Religious Zionism party, accused Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara and senior legal officials of repeatedly interfering with government appointments.
"First the head of the ISA, then the head of the Mossad, and now the State Comptroller and the director of the Israel Land Authority," Smotrich said. "They are crossing red lines again and again, taking Israeli democracy hostage and thwarting every decision and appointment made by the national camp. Israel cannot become a judicial dictatorship. The answer will come at the ballot box."
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir also condemned the ruling, saying the Supreme Court was "once again trampling the Knesset."
He pledged that if a future fully right-wing government is formed, his first demand would be "a comprehensive and far-reaching reform of the judicial system," arguing that such reforms cannot be achieved with politicians who, in his words, "shield the corrupt judicial system day and night."