Likud MK Accuses Israel's Justice System of Trying to Jail Netanyahu

Likud MK Moshe Saada launched a sweeping attack Thursday morning on Israel’s prosecution and law enforcement leadership, speaking in an interview with journalist Eli Tzipori about what he says is the political handling of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s trial. Saada argued that the system acted with a clear political goal, saying, “In the name of the goal of intercepting a prime minister from the right, everything was permitted.” He accused officials of sabotaging investigations, harming sexual assault victims, crushing the law, and refusing to hear witnesses.

Saada, a former deputy head of the police’s internal investigations unit, said he is seeing in the courtroom today the same conduct he believes shaped earlier investigations. “What we are seeing reflected in court is what happened then. Today the public is seeing the result of that,” he said.

He also described internal clashes in the legal establishment over a possible plea bargain in Netanyahu’s cases. “I remind you there was almost a plea deal here,” Saada said. He claimed that during Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit’s tenure, Mandelblit wanted a deal, but prosecutors rejected it, saying, “Why should we agree to a deal? We want to see him in prison.”

According to Saada, the prosecution’s motivation went beyond removing Netanyahu from politics. He said officials “fell in love with their arguments” and concluded, “If so, then so be it, let’s put him in prison. Let’s see him in handcuffs.”