Likud Demands Netanyahu Trial Halt, Mandelblit Probe After Testimony
Translated & summarized from Now 14 by baba
The Likud party is demanding an immediate halt to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's corruption trial and a criminal investigation into former Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit. Likud claims Mandelblit's recent court testimony strengthened the defense's case, calling the trial a "witch hunt." Mandelblit testified about his approval of investigative actions and the indictment, admitting to limited memory on certain details and possible police actions taken without his full knowledge. The party seeks to close the trial, alleging it's based on fabricated evidence.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Likud demands Netanyahu's trial halt and probe into former AG Mandelblit after his testimony.
- The party claims Mandelblit's testimony supports Netanyahu's defense and proves a "witch hunt."
- Mandelblit testified about his approval of investigative actions and the indictment formulation.
- He admitted to limited memory on signing the amended indictment and police actions.
- Likud alleges the trial is based on illegally fabricated cases and seeks its closure.
The Likud party is demanding an immediate halt to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's trial and a criminal investigation into former Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit and other senior law enforcement officials. Likud claims Mandelblit's testimony in court on Sunday significantly bolstered the defense's arguments in Netanyahu's corruption case. The party stated that Mandelblit's testimony, which included "I don't know" 16 times and "it could be" 24 times, proves the prosecution was based on illegally fabricated cases and was a "witch hunt" to oust a strong right-wing leader.
Likud asserted that Mandelblit did not even review the evidence before signing off on the indictment, doing so with a scanned signature while Netanyahu was representing Israel at the White House. The party also claimed that Netanyahu, his wife, sons, and associates have endured "seven circles of hell" over the years, leading the country to five costly elections. They accused Mandelblit and others of attempting to achieve through illicit means what they could not accomplish at the ballot box.
Mandelblit testified in the Jerusalem District Court as part of the defense in the "Cases of the Thousand" indictment. He was questioned by Netanyahu's lawyer, Amit Haddad, regarding approvals for investigative actions, police conduct, and the formulation of the indictment. Mandelblit stated he did not recall signing the amended indictment, only the original, and admitted he did not approve every police action, though he described such instances as rare. He also conceded it was possible the police acted behind his back.
The party called for the legal proceedings, which they described as based on "illegally sewn cases," to be closed. They also demanded a criminal investigation into Mandelblit, former senior officials Shi Nitzen, Judith Tirosh, Liat Ben Ari, Roni Alsheich, and other investigators involved in the cases.
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