Israel’s Knesset taps Netanyahu’s pick for state comptroller

JERUSALEM – Israel’s parliament has voted in favour of appointing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s candidate for state comptroller, representing a minor political victory for the embattled leader.

The Knesset voted 67-48 on Monday in favour of Matanyahu Engelman, who currently heads Israel’s Council of Higher Education.

The vote to select a new state comptroller was one of the final acts by the current Knesset, which was elected in April but voted to dissolve itself last week after Netanyahu failed to form a government.

The comptroller is tasked with supervising government policies and operations and reporting on mismanagement. The post is typically filled with former judges; Engelman is the first non-judge to fill the post in decades. He replaces outgoing comptroller Yosef Shapira and will hold office for seven years.