Netanyahu's Lawyer Presents Documents Showing Prior Closure of Case Elements
Translated & summarized from Now 14 by baba
During Benjamin Netanyahu's trial, his lawyer Amit Haddad presented documents indicating former Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein closed an investigation into Netanyahu in September 2014. Current Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit, who succeeded Weinstein, admitted he was unaware of these prior investigations and decisions. The defense argues this shows the police improperly reopened closed cases. Mandelblit confirmed that issues already closed should have been presented to him.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Netanyahu's lawyer presented documents showing a prior closure of investigation elements by Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein in 2014.
- Avichai Mandelblit, who succeeded Weinstein, admitted he was unaware of these earlier investigations and decisions.
- The defense claims police improperly reopened investigations that had already been officially closed.
- Mandelblit acknowledged that closed matters should have been brought to his attention.
- The prosecution objected to the defense's characterization of police actions during the trial.
During the trial of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu's lawyer, Amit Haddad, presented documents on Tuesday suggesting that then-Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein had decided in September 2014 to close an investigation into Netanyahu. Mandelblit, who succeeded Weinstein in February 2016, acknowledged that he was unaware of some of the earlier investigations and had not been informed of his predecessor's decision.
The defense argues that the police reopened investigations into suspicions that had already been properly examined and closed. Haddad presented a document from September 4, 2014, where Weinstein stated, "After examining the findings of the investigation conducted regarding the Prime Minister, I decided to adopt the positions of the Head of the Investigation Department and the State Prosecutor and to conclude the investigation process regarding the events examined as detailed."
Mandelblit testified that he did not recall being shown this document and had only a vague memory of specific details, such as the employment of Odelia Carmon. Haddad presented a table of documents and information gathered before Mandelblit took office, asserting that much of it concerned the same issues Mandelblit was later asked to re-examine without full context. Mandelblit confirmed he had not seen this material upon entering his role.
Haddad further claimed that Mandelblit was presented with old allegations under the guise of new information, likening it to being asked to "chew chewed food again." Mandelblit stated that at the time, he did not believe the information warranted a full criminal investigation and initially approved only investigative actions. He later approved a transition to a formal investigation after receiving findings related to Hadas Klein's testimony, which indicated systematic demands for benefits rather than isolated incidents.
The defense contended that the police continued to investigate Netanyahu in direct violation of Weinstein's 2014 decision to close the matter. Mandelblit agreed that if issues had been closed, they should have been brought to his attention. The prosecution objected to Haddad's framing of the police's actions as illegal.
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