Sa'ar Explains Shift on Netanyahu Trial Amid Mandelblit Testimony
Translated & summarized from Srugim by baba
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar explained his changed view on the Benjamin Netanyahu corruption trial, citing testimony from former Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit. Sa'ar described the trial as a "grotesque of law enforcement" and highlighted alleged failures and criminal offenses by investigators. He believes the ongoing trial now mainly exposes misconduct by law enforcement, calling it a "witch hunt" against the prime minister after six and a half years.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar explained his evolving stance on the Benjamin Netanyahu corruption trial.
- Sa'ar cited testimony from former Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit as a key factor in his changed view.
- He described the trial as a "grotesque of law enforcement" and a "witch hunt" against the prime minister.
- Sa'ar pointed to alleged failures and criminal offenses by law enforcement during the investigation.
- The bribery charge was dropped, and Sa'ar criticized the remaining breach of trust charge.
- The trial has been ongoing for six and a half years in the first instance.
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar explained on Sunday why his stance on the corruption trial of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has evolved, citing the testimony of former Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit. Sa'ar stated that he had previously called for an end to the "saga" of the Netanyahu trial, even while in opposition in 2023, describing the case as a "grotesque of law enforcement."
He pointed to the judges' call to reconsider the bribery charge, which prosecutors allegedly ignored, and what he termed "serious failures and even violations of the law by law enforcement authorities" during the trial. Sa'ar noted that the prosecution used three state witnesses and that the bribery charge, based on media coverage, was dropped early on. He also criticized the remaining breach of trust charge as vague, arguing it was amplified by being linked to a gift law accusation.
Sa'ar further commented on Mandelblit's testimony, stating that it revealed criminal offenses, including breach of trust, committed by law enforcement officials during the investigation. He argued that continuing the trial now primarily serves to expose the truth about law enforcement's conduct and erode public trust in them. After six and a half years in the first court instance, Sa'ar concluded that the trial has become a clear indication of a "witch hunt" against the prime minister, asserting that while one can support or oppose Netanyahu's tenure, the truth about the investigation cannot be ignored.
