{
  "id": 8015412,
  "title": "Netanyahu defense asks court to summon former A-G Avichai Mandelblit to testify before election",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/netanyahu-defense-asks-court-to-summon-former-a-g-avichai-mandelblit",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-17T11:50:44.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Jerusalem Post",
    "slug": "jerusalem-post",
    "url": "https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-908926"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Former attorney-general Avichai Mandelblit, who authorized investigations into Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and subsequently indicted him, may be summoned to testify in Netanyahu's criminal trial prior to the upcoming election. The Jerusalem District Court has granted Netanyahu's defense team seven days of Mandelblit's testimony, starting from October 11 and extending to October 22. This would mark Mandelblit's initial appearance as a witness in the trial. Israeli law necessitates the attorney-general's consent for initiating a criminal investigation against a serving prime minister, a consent Mandelblit granted in 2019, leading to the filing of charges in Netanyahu's cases 1000, 2000, and 4000. Mandelblit's testimony is anticipated to revolve around the authorization of investigators' examination areas, the timing of such authorizations, and whether the police exceeded these limits. The defense has contested that some investigative steps lacked necessary approval and has challenged evidence acquired through such actions. Prosecutors maintain Mandelblit authorized the investigations but dispute the defense's interpretation of what his consent entailed. The disagreement over Mandelblit's approval has resurfaced in recent testimony from former investigator Shmuel Sharvit and former police legal adviser Alon Tsarfati, who affirmed that the attorney-general's consent is required for initiating an investigation, though not every step within one. Netanyahu's trial commenced in May 2024, with Netanyahu testifying in December 2024 and concluding in June 2025. The defense has since called additional witnesses, including former investigators.",
  "summary": "His testimony is likely to focus on what he authorized investigators to examine, when he authorized it and whether police went beyond those limits.",
  "key_points": [
    "Former A-G Avichai Mandelblit may be summoned to testify in Netanyahu's trial.",
    "Mandelblit's testimony requested for seven days from October 11 to 22.",
    "Defense argues some investigative steps lacked proper approval."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}