Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara on Wednesday reportedly instructed police to probe dueling statements from the ruling Likud party and MK Sharren Haskel about the recent contentious Knesset vote for state comptroller.

Haskel, whose New Hope party merged with Likud last year, testified that even though the vote must be conducted by secret ballot, lawmakers were instructed to film themselves voting for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s preferred candidate, his longtime attorney Michael Rabello. The alleged instruction came after Rabello fell short in the first round of voting.

Some MKs were seen holding their phones as they went to vote for the state comptroller. The High Court froze Rabello’s appointment earlier this month, ordering a new vote to assuage concerns over possible violations of the process.

Haskel’s testimony contradicted previous affidavits filed in court by Likud executive director David Sharan and several Likud MKs, who said there had been no instructions from Likud officials for coalition MKs to record their votes.

According to Hebrew media reports, Baharav-Miara is ordering police to further investigate which statement is true, and to explore the possibility of a criminal probe of whoever is found to be lying.

Earlier on Tuesday, Likud, through Rabello, who serves as its lawyer, submitted a response to the High Court asking it to reject Haskel’s affidavit, because “she doesn’t describe who, according to her, presented the alleged demand,” as quoted by the Ynet news site.

Senior cabinet........

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