Ex-AG Mandelblit Testifies for Sixth Time in Netanyahu Trial

Former Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit returned to the stand for his sixth day of testimony in the corruption trial of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. During his cross-examination by Netanyahu's lawyer, Amit Haddad, Mandelblit addressed several key issues, including the investigation's procedures and the handling of evidence.

Mandelblit acknowledged that certain investigative actions were taken without his explicit approval and admitted that Netanyahu was not explicitly warned about bribery charges in Case 4000. He also stated that he had requested the police to cease contact with journalist Ben Caspit, whom he suspected of influencing investigators. Mandelblit further discussed redacted documents presented during the investigation and potential conflicts of interest that were not reported.

A significant point of contention was the wording of the warning given to Netanyahu regarding bribery in Case 4000. Mandelblit conceded he couldn't recall if he specifically authorized an investigation into bribery from the outset, though he confirmed authorizing an investigation with a warning. The warning document presented by Haddad did not explicitly mention the bribery offense, leading to a debate about whether Netanyahu was properly informed of the charges against him. Mandelblit later corrected himself, stating, "I made a mistake," after initially saying Netanyahu was not warned about bribery.

The defense also raised concerns about the police's interaction with journalist Ben Caspit before the investigation was officially approved. Mandelblit confirmed he had asked for the relationship between the police and Caspit to be stopped, expressing discomfort that the journalist seemed to be directing police actions rather than the other way around. The defense argued this demonstrated unequal enforcement, comparing it to the allegations against Netanyahu.

Further issues discussed included the redaction of documents, the extent of Mandelblit's personal review of the evidence for the amended indictment in Case 4000, and a discrepancy regarding an authorization memo for an investigation. Mandelblit stated he reviewed the draft indictment and the presented cases but did not read every single testimony. He also acknowledged that some investigative actions were carried out without his knowledge, including one serious action he later canceled. Regarding Case 3000 (the submarine affair), Mandelblit reiterated that he did not identify sufficient grounds to investigate Netanyahu.