Mandeblit on the cigars investigation: "Based on what they show me – I don't approve"

During the cross-examination of Avichai Mandeblit in the Netanyahu trial, defense attorney Amit Hadad presented documents and a protocol from 2016 in which Mandeblit said the cigars investigation exceeded the approval he had given. Mandeblit replied: "Based on what they show me at the time, I don't approve." The defense claims the police acted without authorization.

A significant development occurred today (Thursday) during the cross-examination of former Attorney General Dr. Avichai Mandeblit in the trial of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu's defense attorney, Amit Hadad, presented documents from the Ari Harow investigation and a protocol from a meeting on July 17, 2016, in which Mandeblit explicitly said: "This is clearly not what I approved at the time." Mandeblit clarified that he had only approved checking the receipt of gifts in large quantities, not individual cigars, and replied: "Based on what they show me at the time, I don't approve." The defense argues that the police exceeded the authorizations given to them. The article highlights the gap between the legal directives and the investigators' actions.