Netanyahu Trial Judges Order Attorney General to Attend Hearing

Judges in the trial of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have ordered Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara to appear in court on Wednesday for a hearing concerning the trial's progression. This unusual decision comes despite Baharav-Miara's position that her attendance is unnecessary. The judges stated in a letter that her presence would add value, enabling a productive dialogue where the person responsible for decision-making can hear arguments directly and respond.

The defense is reportedly seeking the Attorney General's appearance to leverage testimony from former Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit. Mandelblit testified last month that certain investigative actions were not brought to his attention and criticized some, including an investigative tactic used against state witness Nir Hefetz and wiretapping of Netanyahu associate Natan Eshel. However, Mandelblit also affirmed his approval of the investigation into Netanyahu and his support for the indictment.

The defense aims to use Mandelblit's statements to argue for significant flaws in the investigation and prosecution, potentially seeking dismissal of charges under the "defense from justice" legal principle, which asserts that an indictment or trial process fundamentally violates principles of justice and fairness.

Additionally, the defense may be attempting to pressure the prosecution to reconsider the bribery charge in Case 4000. The judges have previously expressed difficulties in proving the bribery offense and suggested the prosecution withdraw it, a recommendation that was rejected.

Baharav-Miara was not in office during the investigations and was not involved in the original decision to indict Netanyahu. Therefore, the current request is not to have her testify about the investigation's events, but rather to engage her in direct discussion with the judges based on her current responsibility for the prosecution.