Netanyahu's Lawyers Seek to Subpoena Former Attorney General Mandelblit Before Elections

Attorneys for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have requested that former Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit be summoned to testify in the ongoing corruption trial. The defense team, comprised of Amit Hadad and Noa Milstein, submitted a request to the court seeking Mandelblit's appearance on October 11-12 and October 18-22, 2026. Under Israeli law, the defense has the right to summon witnesses, though courts often impose restrictions on calling prosecution lawyers or staff to testify. Typically, such requests are not automatically granted, as seen in the submarine affair where a defendant's request to call prosecutors was denied.

However, Netanyahu's defense may leverage the precedent set when the prosecution called former Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein to testify in the same trial. While Mandelblit's testimony does not guarantee it will favor the defense, it is speculated that Netanyahu aims to confront him on several issues. These include Mandelblit's approval of the investigation into the Prime Minister and his stance on the bribery charge in Case 4000, which reportedly faced evidentiary challenges.

The defense's strategy is believed to be partly political, aiming to generate significant media attention from Mandelblit's testimony shortly before an election. Netanyahu himself has concluded his testimony in the trial. The court is currently hearing defense witnesses for Netanyahu, with witnesses for co-defendants Noni Mozes, Shaul Elovitch, and Iris Elovitch to follow. The judges have excused Netanyahu from attending all upcoming hearings, prioritizing the advancement of the trial, especially during the holiday period.