Former Attorney General Mandelblit Testifies in Netanyahu Trial

During his testimony, Mandelblit admitted that serious investigative actions were carried out by the police without his knowledge or retroactive approval. He confirmed that while he did not need to approve every step, he had requested oversight of major actions due to the sensitivity of investigating a sitting prime minister. Mandelblit acknowledged it was possible he had previously told someone that the police were acting behind his back during the investigations.

Mandelblit cited specific unauthorized actions, including the wiretapping of Netanyahu confidant Natan Eshel, which had infuriated him and prompted him to order an immediate halt to the surveillance. He also stated that improper and unacceptable pressure tactics were used against state witnesses, specifically regarding Nir Hefetz, though he was unaware of the specific pressures at the time. Additionally, Mandelblit admitted he did not know about the use of Pegasus spyware in real-time.

Under questioning by Netanyahu's defense attorney, Amit Haddad, Mandelblit acknowledged that he did not personally read all the raw investigation materials and testimonies before approving the indictment, relying instead on presentations from the prosecution. Judge Moshe Bar-Am noted that Mandelblit had relied on the prosecution's stance without independent review. Regarding Case 3000, the submarine affair, Mandelblit testified that he never identified any suspicion against Netanyahu and did not authorize an investigation into him for it.