Netanyahu Seeks Former Attorney General's Testimony Before Elections

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has requested that former Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit testify in his corruption trial, with the defense aiming for the testimony to occur before the upcoming elections. The request is part of the defense team's strategy to challenge the procedures that led to the investigations against Netanyahu, as Mandelblit was the one who approved the initiation of these investigations.

Earlier this week, the defense had sought the testimony of former Knesset member Eitan Cabel, but he is currently unavailable due to reserve duty. Since the trial began, Netanyahu's defense has argued that Mandelblit did not grant the legally required approval to open the investigation, and previously sought to have the indictment dismissed. In February 2021, judges rejected this request after the prosecution presented meeting protocols showing Mandelblit had verbally agreed to the investigation, though the judges did criticize the lack of written approval.

During the evidence-hearing phase, the defense has questioned investigators about the early stages of the probes into Netanyahu, attempting to demonstrate that some investigative procedures commenced before Mandelblit's approval was secured. In February, the court allowed parts of meeting minutes from Mandelblit's office concerning the Netanyahu investigations to be published, following a request from the Yisrael Hayom newspaper.

In a July 2016 meeting discussing suspicions that predated the corruption cases, Mandelblit stated, "I am not excited about the idea that he takes champagne or cigars or a suit, but because of things like these that happened 10 years ago, I am not opening a criminal investigation against the Prime Minister." In a related development, retired Deputy Police Commissioner Eran Kamin testified last Monday. Kamin, who headed the fraud investigations unit of Lahav 433 and led the investigation into the "Prime Minister's Residence Affair," suggested his career advancement was hindered by his role in that case. He was extensively questioned by Netanyahu's lawyer regarding his involvement in procedures preceding the opening of "Case 1000," also known as the "Gifts Case," with Kamin stating that information leading to that investigation emerged from the "Prime Minister's Residence Affair" probe.