Netanyahu Trial Judges Order Attorney General to Appear for Hearing

By נטעאל בנדל

Translated & summarized from Ynet by baba

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Hebrew · 19 newsrooms covering

Jerusalem District Court judges have ordered Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara to attend a hearing in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's trial on Wednesday, overriding her objection. The judges believe her direct participation is crucial for trial progress and potentially to address the bribery charge in Case 4000. The court is also concerned about a judge's impending retirement before a verdict. The Attorney General's office initially opposed her appearance, citing established procedures, but Netanyahu's defense argued for her mandatory attendance.

The story in 5 lines · by baba

Jerusalem District Court judges ordered Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara to attend Netanyahu's trial hearing.
The judges cited the need for direct dialogue and to address the bribery charge in Case 4000.
Concerns about a judge's retirement before a verdict may be driving the court's actions.
The Attorney General's office had opposed her personal appearance at the hearing.
Netanyahu's defense lawyer argued the court has the authority to summon the Attorney General.

Netanyahu Trial Judges Order Attorney General to Appear for Hearing — Editorial illustration generated by baba News, not a photograph of the event.

The Jerusalem District Court has ordered Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara to appear for a hearing in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's trial on Wednesday, despite her opposition. The judges, Rivka Friedman-Feldman, Moshe Bar-Am, and Oded Shaham, stated that her personal appearance is necessary for a productive dialogue, allowing the decision-maker to hear arguments directly and respond.

The judges' motivation for summoning the Attorney General is reportedly linked to concerns that Judge Friedman-Feldman, who is set to retire in 2028, may not be present for the final verdict. The court has previously taken steps to expedite the trial, including increasing the number of hearing days.

During the proceedings, the judges have twice suggested the prosecution withdraw the bribery charge in Case 4000, a suggestion Netanyahu's lawyer Amit Haddad argued would shorten the defense's witness list. The Attorney General has not yet responded to this proposal, though she and the prosecution team believe in the bribery charge and anticipate an appeal to the Supreme Court.

Another possibility is that the judges will pressure Baharav-Miara to drop additional charges based on the defense's request for "justice from above," citing alleged procedural failures. This could involve issues with approvals granted by former Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit for investigations into the Prime Minister. Judge Bar-Am has previously stated that illegal actions occurred, but the majority of the panel disagreed.

The court noted that the discussion regarding the trial's management is specifically concerning "Mr. Netanyahu." This could indicate a focus on pressuring the withdrawal of the bribery charge against Netanyahu while potentially leaving the charge against Shaul Elovitch intact, or it might signal concerns about the approval process for investigations, potentially jeopardizing more than just the bribery charge in Case 4000.

The hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, November 18th, at 9:30 AM, with the possibility of closed-door sessions. The prosecution had previously stated Baharav-Miara would not attend, arguing that her legal team is authorized to represent her and that her personal appearance would disrupt prosecutorial procedures. However, Netanyahu's lawyer Amit Haddad countered that the court has the authority to summon her, citing a similar instance where the State Prosecutor was summoned to the Supreme Court.