Netanyahu defense challenges Mandelblit over police questioning of key state witness
The exchanges at the Jerusalem District Court focused on how closely Mandelblit supervised the early inquiries into Netanyahu and whether investigators stayed within the limits he set.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's legal team questioned former Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit on Thursday regarding his approval of police questioning of a key witness in the ongoing case against Netanyahu. Mandelblit, who oversaw the early investigations into Netanyahu, testified before the Jerusalem District Court about the extent of his supervision and the decisions made during the process.
The defense argued that Mandelblit's approval of certain actions did not equate to control over every detail of the investigation. The case, known as Case 2000, involves allegations of Netanyahu attempting to exchange favorable media coverage for actions against a rival publication. Mandelblit testified that he approved Broader investigative framework but could not recall specific operational decisions.
Defense lawyer Amit Hadad challenged the scope of questions posed to the former attorney-general, suggesting that the inquiries extended beyond the scope of his approval. Mandelblit maintained that such questions were reasonable given the context of Harow's potential role as a state witness. The hearing also addressed the timing and nature of Mandelblit's involvement in the case, with defense counsel presenting a news report attributing comments to Mandelblit describing some early matters as trivial or bordering on gossip. Mandelblit acknowledged the substance of the claim but could not confirm the exact wording.
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