Ex-AG Mandelblit Testifies in Netanyahu Trial, Citing Flawed Investigations

Former Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit testified on Sunday as a defense witness in the trial of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, seven years after Mandelblit decided to indict the premier. Mandelblit was questioned for hours by Netanyahu's lawyer, Amit Haddad, regarding approvals granted for investigations, actions taken without his knowledge, and interrogation tactics used against state witnesses. The testimony, occurring just two and a half weeks before the Knesset elections, yielded significant statements but left some legal questions unresolved.

A central claim of Netanyahu's defense is that police investigators pursued lines of inquiry not approved by the Attorney General, violating Basic Law: The Government. Mandelblit acknowledged that some actions were not brought to his attention and that he opposed others upon learning of them, but he rejected the assertion that he had not approved the investigation into Netanyahu himself. He stated that while not every detail required his explicit approval, he had requested that major actions be routed through him, demanding closer oversight due to the sensitivity of the cases.

Mandelblit distinguished between initial approval for an investigation and the need for separate consent for new lines of inquiry. He clarified that while ongoing investigations did not require re-approval for every action, any new suspicion against the prime minister necessitated a fresh request. When asked if he was aware of any suspicions investigated without his approval, he replied, "I am not aware of such a thing."

Regarding Case 1000, the "gifts affair," Mandelblit denied claims that he had not authorized the investigation into receiving cigars and champagne from businessman Arnon Milchan, stating he had approved investigating gifts from businessmen. He recalled instances where investigators exceeded his approvals, particularly concerning Milchan's warning notice, but maintained he had authorized the examination of systematic gift-taking from wealthy individuals, including from abroad. He also confirmed giving verbal approval to investigate Yair Netanyahu's use of a Tel Aviv apartment owned by businessman James Packer.

A significant portion of the testimony focused on the interrogation "tactic" employed against state witness Nir Hefetz, a former Netanyahu media advisor. Mandelblit described the tactic, which involved summoning an associate of Hefetz for questioning to pressure him with information about his personal life, as "improper and wrong." He admitted he was unaware of the full extent of the pressure at the time and, after learning of it, opted against a formal investigation into the involved officers to avoid jeopardizing the trial's integrity, prioritizing the case's proper management over pursuing disciplinary action.

Mandelblit also confirmed he was unaware that prosecutor Adv. Yehudit Tirosh attended a police meeting discussing the Hefetz tactic, stating he should have been informed. He further addressed the wiretapping of Netanyahu confidant Nathan ASh in Case 2000, which he discovered only after it occurred and immediately ordered stopped, calling it an "outrageous" action. He explained that such sensitive surveillance, especially concerning individuals close to the prime minister, required prior approval.

The defense also raised the possibility of examining recordings of conversations between Mandelblit and former Israel Bar Association chairman Efi Naveh, published in 2020, which included Mandelblit making sharp remarks about then-State Prosecutor Shai Nitzan. Mandelblit had previously explained these remarks as made in a private, heated conversation, unrelated to his professional decisions.

Following the testimony, the Likud party issued a harsh statement demanding the immediate halt of the trial, closure of the cases, and criminal investigations against senior law enforcement officials. Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana also wrote to President Isaac Herzog, urging him to grant Netanyahu a pardon based on the alleged investigative flaws revealed during Mandelblit's testimony.