Gideon Saar Claims Ignorance of Past Praise for Mandelblit Amid Trial Testimony
Translated & summarized from Israel Hayom by baba
Member of Knesset Gideon Saar attended court to support Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the testimony of former Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit. Saar faced criticism for past praise of Mandelblit, with a 2022 tweet resurfacing. Saar claimed he didn't remember the tweet and stated he was unaware of issues in Mandelblit's investigation management, which he now criticizes.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- MK Gideon Saar supported PM Netanyahu during former AG Mandelblit's testimony.
- Saar's past praise for Mandelblit resurfaced, drawing criticism.
- Saar claimed he did not remember his 2022 tweet praising Mandelblit.
- Saar criticized Mandelblit's investigation management based on current testimony.
- Saar stated he was unaware of the issues he now criticizes.
Member of Knesset Gideon Saar appeared at the District Court on Sunday to support Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the testimony of former Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit. Saar's presence and his criticism of Mandelblit, who filed the indictment against Netanyahu for bribery, fraud, and breach of trust, drew significant attention and criticism, especially given Saar's past praise for Mandelblit.
A social media post from 2022 resurfaced, showing Saar lauding Mandelblit as an excellent jurist who played a crucial role in safeguarding the rule of law and democracy in Israel. In the post, Saar stated that Mandelblit operated under intense, open, and unrestrained attack while upholding the truth, fulfilling his "home pledge."
When confronted with this past tweet and asked about his changed stance, Saar initially claimed he didn't remember the context. He then shifted to criticizing Mandelblit's conduct as revealed in his court testimony. Saar argued that Mandelblit himself has highlighted serious deficiencies in how the investigations were managed, suggesting the police may have acted without his full knowledge and admitting he did not thoroughly examine the publications forming the basis of the bribery charge.
Saar concluded by noting that the bribery charge is no longer valid given the court's position, and defended his past statements by asserting he was unaware of these issues at the time.
