MK Sharren Haskel testifies at Lahav 433 in connection with comptroller election scandal

MK Sharren Haskel, chair of the Israel First party, testified on Sunday before Lahav 433 in connection with the election of State Comptroller Michael Rabello, which the High Court ruled invalid. The inquiry was launched at the initiative of the attorney-general. Haskel alleged in a sworn affidavit that New Hope-United Right members were required to film their votes for Rabello and show the footage to Prime Minister Netanyahu. The claim conflicts with the Likud's position and was not submitted in the legal case.

MK Sharren Haskel, chair of the Israel First party, testified on Sunday before Lahav 433, the Israel Police's national fraud unit, in connection with the election of State Comptroller Michael Rabello, which the High Court of Justice ruled invalid. Haskel's spokesperson confirmed the testimony to The Jerusalem Post. The inquiry was launched at the initiative of the attorney-general. Earlier in July, Haskel alleged in a sworn affidavit that members of the New Hope-United Right faction were required to film themselves voting for Rabello and show the footage to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as proof of how they voted. The claim conflicts with the position presented by the Likud during the legal proceedings over Rabello's election, but it was not submitted in that case. Haskel signed the affidavit more than two weeks after the High Court invalidated Rabello's election and ordered the Knesset to hold a new vote because the filming of ballots had fundamentally violated the secrecy of the election. During the proceedings, the Knesset argued there was no concrete evidence of a filming directive, while coalition MKs who published photos of their ballots said they acted voluntarily. Haskel's affidavit was submitted for a different purpose: to support her argument that New Hope had ceased functioning independently and was effectively operating under the Likud's authority following Sa'ar's political return to the party.