Mandelblit confirms investigators retained broad discretion in Netanyahu trial
The former attorney general told the court that his initial approvals covered a wide scope of inquiries, limiting the need for repeated consultations.
By Hannah Williams ·
Former attorney general Avichai Mandelblit told the Jerusalem District Court on Monday that investigators did not need to return to him for approval on every single step of their inquiry into Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He argued that his original authorization set a broad boundary for the probe.
Mandelblit is testifying for the defense in the ongoing trial. The defense team is using his testimony to argue that police actions fell within the permissions he granted. His lawyer, Amit Hadad, focused on specific investigative moves, questioning whether the police exceeded those limits when they interviewed key figures connected to Case 1000.
Case 1000 involves allegations that Netanyahu received expensive gifts from businessmen Arnon Milchan and James Packer. Hadad asked Mandelblit about the questioning of Hadas Klein, Milchan's assistant, and Yonatan Hasson, Packer's driver. The defense suggested these interviews went beyond the initial mandate.
Mandelblit rejected that view. He stated that his permission to examine suspicions of substantial benefits from businessmen remained in force. He explained that the subject matter of his approval defined the scope, while only major shifts in the investigation required further consultation.
Judge Moshe Bar-Am pressed Mandelblit on how investigators were to distinguish between actions covered by his authorization and those requiring new consent. Mandelblit replied that significant developments called for further consultation, implying that routine inquiries did not.
On Sunday, Mandelblit addressed the wiretapping of Natan Eshel, a confidant of Netanyahu. He said he ordered police to stop the operation once he learned of it. Although investigators had a court warrant, Mandelblit argued the operation was sensitive enough to require his prior approval.
The trial began in May 2020 and covers three cases involving alleged gifts and media dealings. Netanyahu faces charges of fraud and breach of trust in all three cases. Case 4000 includes a bribery charge related to alleged benefits for Bezeq in exchange for changes in Walla news coverage. Netanyahu denies all wrongdoing.
Source: The Jerusalem Post
