Netanyahu Lawyers to Seek Trial Halt After Key Testimony
Translated & summarized from Maariv by baba
Benjamin Netanyahu's defense team plans to request a halt to his corruption trial following testimony from former Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit. Mandelblit's testimony indicated that the "bribery" charge in Case 4000 was not explicitly stated in Netanyahu's initial warning, suggesting it was only a breach of trust. The defense claims the investigation was "contaminated" by police and prosecution misconduct, leading to the collapse of key charges.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Netanyahu's lawyers will seek to halt his trial after testimony from Avichai Mandelblit.
- Mandelblit testified "bribery" was absent from Netanyahu's warning in Case 4000.
- The defense claims the investigation was severely contaminated by misconduct.
- Key charges in Case 4000, 2000, and 1000 have allegedly collapsed.
- The article criticizes media silence on the trial's developments.
- Opposition efforts for a "Disqualified Defendant Law" are called hypocritical.
Attorneys for Benjamin Netanyahu are reportedly planning an unusual legal maneuver to halt his ongoing corruption trial, following testimony from former Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit and ahead of expected testimony from former Police Commissioner Roni Alsheich. The defense is expected to argue for a "defense from justice" based on alleged "serious contamination" of the investigation.
Mandelblit testified that the word "bribery" was absent from the official warning given to Netanyahu in Case 4000, suggesting the investigation at that point was only applicable to a breach of trust. He also acknowledged that the wording of the warning was more fitting for a breach of trust than bribery. Netanyahu's lawyers, including Amit Haddad, are expected to leverage this testimony, along with alleged investigative misconduct, to support their motion.
The article claims that the prosecution's narrative has collapsed, with Case 4000, the sole bribery case, now considered defunct by the court. It further asserts that Case 2000 and Case 1000 are also weak, with all serious charges having "evaporated." The author criticizes the media for its silence on these developments after extensive coverage of the prosecution's case.
The report also touches on opposition efforts to pass a "Disqualified Defendant Law" that would prevent an indicted individual from forming a government, criticizing it as hypocritical and an attempt to circumvent election results based on collapsed charges. The article argues that the police and prosecution, not just Netanyahu, should be held accountable for their conduct during the investigation.