In 1984, Arbel was appointed District Attorney of the Central District. She had previously served as a senior assistant to the District Attorney of the Central District. She served as member of the Kahan Commission that investigated the Sabra and Shatila massacre.
In 1996 she became State Attorney. She served in this capacity for eight years, until being appointed to the Supreme Court. During her term, the prosecutor's staff grew from about 700 to 1,040 attorneys. In 2004, Arbel was nominated for the Supreme Court by then Chief Justice Aharon Barak.