Ex-AG Mandelblit Denies Knowledge of Police Using Journalist in Netanyahu Probe

The fourth day of testimony from former Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit in the trial of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu opened with a sharp dispute over the disclosure of classified protocols and the defense's demand for full disclosure. Netanyahu's lawyer, Amit Haddad, presented claims that senior police officials, including officer Eran Kamin, allegedly used journalist Ben Caspit to gather information on the Prime Minister. Haddad asserted that significant pressure was applied to Caspit to provide materials without Mandelblit's knowledge or approval.

Mandelblit confirmed he was unaware of such activities, stating that using a journalist as a police proxy to circumvent the need for his approval is fundamentally improper. The defense argued that early information-gathering actions were conducted without legal authority, citing a document that initially appeared to authorize an investigation but later, when unredacted, stated "do not investigate the Prime Minister."

Haddad presented Caspit's alleged statements that the police approached him for assistance and that he faced "heavy artillery" of pressure from authorities before agreeing to help. Mandelblit expressed surprise at these claims, stating he had no knowledge of them, including a 2016 testimony by Caspit that was reportedly not approved by the Attorney General.

The defense contends that the alleged use of senior police officers like Eran Kamin to activate journalists as long arms to gather information, thereby bypassing the legal requirement for the Attorney General's approval before investigating a prime minister, reveals serious structural flaws in the early stages of the "Files 1000" investigations. Mandelblit's admission of ignorance and his confirmation that using a journalist as a police agent is improper provide the defense with a strong argument for a flawed and unauthorized legal process from its inception.