Mandelblit testifies for eighth time in Netanyahu trial; disputes over investigation approvals

Former Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit testified for the eighth time in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's corruption trial, facing cross-examination by defense attorney Amit Hadad. The focus was on approvals for investigations, with Mandelblit stating he did not recall authorizing probes into Netanyahu's ties with Israel Hayom. The court limited the scope of questioning.

At the Jerusalem District Court today (Monday), the former attorney general Avichai Mandelblit underwent direct examination in the trial of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu's defense attorney, Amit Haddad, sought to clarify whether Mandelblit had authorized in real time an investigation into a suspicion of 'unusual responsiveness' in coverage on the Walla website. Mandelblit initially struggled to recall when the term came into use, and eventually admitted that the suspicion was initially described as 'favorable coverage,' and only at a later stage was the definition of 'unusual responsiveness' formulated. Haddad argued that Mandelblit had only granted approval to examine 'favorable coverage,' not the later term. Mandelblit explained that the essence of the suspicion remained the same over time. Prosecutor Yehudit Tirosh objected to some of the questions. The article highlights the legal significance of the linguistic shift for Netanyahu's defense.