Legal Scope: Former AG Defines Investigative Limits
Avichai Mandelblit testifies that prior approvals set boundaries for police actions, rejecting claims that specific interviews required new consent.
By Olga Kaur ·
The trial of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has entered a phase focused on the procedural authority granted to investigators. Former attorney general Avichai Mandelblit returned to the Jerusalem District Court on Monday to clarify those boundaries for the defense.
Mandelblit authorized the initial investigations and later approved the indictment. His testimony addresses whether police exceeded the scope of his permission. Defense lawyer Amit Hadad asked Mandelblit to specify which investigative steps required fresh approval and which fell under his original sign-off.
The hearing examined the preliminary work that evolved into Case 1000. This case involves allegations that Netanyahu received expensive gifts from businessmen Arnon Milchan and James Packer. It also covers actions Netanyahu allegedly took to benefit Milchan. Hadad questioned if interviewing Milchan's assistant, Hadas Klein, and Packer's driver, Yonatan Hasson, went beyond the authorized mandate.
Mandelblit argued that these interviews fit within his broader permission to examine suspicions of substantial benefits from businessmen. He stated that this permission remained active and did not require investigators to seek consent for every individual action. He maintained that the subject matter he approved established the operational limits.
Judge Moshe Bar-Am inquired how investigators could distinguish between covered steps and those needing additional consent. Mandelblit explained that significant developments warranted further consultation. He noted that the specific topic of the inquiry defined the scope of the approval.
On Sunday, Mandelblit discussed the wiretapping of Natan Eshel, a close confidant of Netanyahu. He stated that police should have sought his approval before listening to Eshel, despite holding a court warrant. He cited the sensitivity of Eshel's role in the prime minister's personal and political affairs as the reason for the requirement.
The trial commenced in May 2020 and covers three cases involving gifts and media dealings. Netanyahu faces charges of fraud and breach of trust in all three. Case 4000 includes a bribery charge related to alleged regulatory benefits for Bezeq in exchange for influence over Walla's coverage. Netanyahu denies all wrongdoing.
Source: The Jerusalem Post
