Israeli Judges Order Attorney General to Appear in Netanyahu Trial

Judges presiding over the "Cases of the Thousand," which include the trial of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have ordered Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara to appear in court for a hearing next Wednesday. This directive comes a day after the prosecution informed the court that Baharav-Miara would not attend the session. The prosecution's team, led by prosecutor Yehudit Tirosh, had stated that senior legal representatives were authorized to convey messages and that the presence of the Attorney General herself was an "incorrect process."

Netanyahu's lawyer, Amit Haddad, responded by saying that if the Attorney General did not wish to appear, the court could summon her, citing a precedent where the Supreme Court summoned the State Attorney. Haddad emphasized the importance of her presence, stating that "things no less important than what happened there have come up in this case, and it is fitting and proper that she come."

The judges' proposal to summon the Attorney General was initially made following a request from the defense lawyers for Shaul Elovitch, a defendant in the case. While the judges did not explicitly state their reasons for wanting her presence, Judge Oded Shaham explained that the request was based on the understanding that the Attorney General is ultimately responsible for managing the legal proceedings. He added that the defense might have "broken down an open door," as the court had been considering such a move independently.

When the prosecution questioned the necessity of summoning the Attorney General, presiding Judge Rivka Friedman-Feldman remarked that "there are many things in this trial that are not ordinary." Judge Shaham further elaborated that if a dialogue is desired, it should be conducted with her directly. The prosecution stated that they would consider the judges' position and respond, noting that they act as proxies for the Attorney General and regularly relay information to relevant parties.