Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s defense team has asked the court overseeing his corruption trial to summon former attorney general Avichai Mandelblit as its next witness, setting his testimony to begin just over two weeks before the Oct. 27 election.
In a request filed with the court, Netanyahu’s lawyers asked that Mandelblit be ordered to testify on Oct. 11, Oct. 12 and again from Oct. 18 through Oct. 22.
Gallery
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former attorney general Avichai Mandelblit
(Photo: Avigail Uzi, JOE RAEDLE / AFP)
Mandelblit has not previously testified in the long-running trial, which began in 2020 and centers on three separate cases known as Cases 1000, 2000 and 4000. Netanyahu completed his own testimony in June after 98 hearings over about 18 months, and the trial has continued with additional defense witnesses.
Mandelblit is a particularly significant witness because, as attorney general, he oversaw the legal process that led to Netanyahu’s prosecution. He approved the investigations and ultimately decided in November 2019 to indict Netanyahu in all three cases after a pre-indictment hearing.
Netanyahu faces charges of fraud and breach of trust in all three cases and an additional bribery charge in Case 4000. He has denied wrongdoing and has repeatedly argued that the investigations and prosecution were politically motivated.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s defense team has asked the court overseeing his corruption trial to summon former attorney general Avichai Mandelblit as its next witness
Mandelblit’s expected appearance could put the origins and handling of the investigations at the center of the proceedings in the final weeks of the election campaign.
The three cases
Case 1000, commonly known as the “gifts case,” concerns allegations that Netanyahu and his wife received luxury goods, including cigars and champagne, from wealthy businessmen, principally Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan and Australian billionaire James Packer. Prosecutors allege Netanyahu used his public position to assist Milchan on several matters while receiving gifts worth hundreds of thousands of shekels. Netanyahu is charged with fraud and breach of trust in the case.
Case 2000 centers on conversations between Netanyahu and Arnon “Noni” Mozes, publisher of the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper. Prosecutors allege the two discussed a potential arrangement under which Netanyahu would receive more favorable coverage in exchange for using his political influence to weaken Yedioth’s main competitor, the free daily Israel Hayom. Netanyahu is charged with fraud and breach of trust.
Case 4000, the only case in which Netanyahu faces a bribery charge, involves allegations that he advanced regulatory decisions benefiting telecommunications giant Bezeq while serving as prime minister and communications minister. Prosecutors allege that in return, Netanyahu and his family received favorable treatment from the Walla news website, then controlled by Bezeq’s controlling shareholder, Shaul Elovitch. Netanyahu is charged with bribery, fraud and breach of trust.
Mandelblit, a former military advocate general who later served as Netanyahu’s Cabinet secretary before becoming attorney general, announced the final indictment in November 2019. The trial formally opened the following year.
His scheduled testimony on Oct. 11 would come 16 days before Israelis are due to vote on Oct. 27, putting one of the central figures behind Netanyahu’s prosecution on the witness stand during the closing stretch of the election campaign.