Justice Minister Yariv Levin Urges Defiance of High Court Ruling on State Comptroller Vote

Justice Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Yariv Levin stated Wednesday morning that the High Court of Justice ruling ordering a new election for the position of State Comptroller should not be implemented, arguing that Attorney Michael Ravilo should be permitted to assume office without a repeat vote. Speaking in an interview on Kol Barama radio, Levin was unequivocal: "There cannot be any hesitation. It is impossible to hold a repeat election for the position of State Comptroller. Attorney Ravilo should simply take office."

The High Court ruling followed a judicial determination that "a substantive flaw in the secrecy of the vote occurred during the second round of voting for the State Comptroller," against the backdrop of Knesset members photographing themselves during the ballot. In the wake of the decision, assessments had pointed to Attorney Ravilo being expected to comply with the ruling and work toward facilitating a new vote — despite mounting pressure from within the coalition to defy it.

Levin's remarks did not emerge in a vacuum. Just one day earlier, the High Court justices published their response to a government decision — approved unanimously — that accepted a proposal jointly advanced by Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi and Levin himself, stipulating that no decision, appointment, or action by the Second Broadcasting Authority Council would carry legal validity unless it met the threshold conditions prescribed by law.

In a statement signed by Supreme Court President Justice Yitzhak Amit and Justices Alex Stein and Ruth Ronen, the court issued a pointed rebuke, stressing that a citizen's defiance of a court ruling constitutes a serious blow to the rule of law — and that government non-compliance carries an even graver weight: "Even more grave is the failure of one of the branches of government to honor a court ruling."