Clash Erupts in Netanyahu Trial Over Evidence Collection

A heated exchange occurred between prosecutor Judith Tirosh and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's defense counsel, Amit Haddad, during the cross-examination of former Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit in the Netanyahu trial at the Jerusalem District Court. The dispute centered on whether emails concerning Netanyahu's coverage were used to expand the investigation. Tirosh accused Haddad of misrepresenting facts, stating, "You are presenting a 180-degree opposite picture." Haddad countered, accusing Tirosh of presenting a misleading position and insisting, "I am presenting original documents, not a paraphrase from the prosecution." During the hearing, Haddad presented documents that the defense claims were obtained without the Attorney General's approval and in excess of search warrants. Mandelblit stated that he was not informed of any legal issues regarding the collection of these materials, saying, "I was not told the materials were obtained unlawfully." The former Attorney General explained that he made his decisions based on the assumption that the evidence presented to him was legally gathered.