Netanyahu Trial Resumes in Jerusalem Amid Defense Requests and Legal Debates
The Netanyahu trial resumes at the Jerusalem District Court as discussions unfold over defense requests, Mandelblit's pending testimony, and a potential judicial dialogue with Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara.
The trial of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues this week at the Jerusalem District Court, with the defense requesting to present prosecution witness Oded Sadeh. However, former Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit may return to the stand to conclude his testimony.
Mandelblit has already testified nine times, though his appearance remains open. The judges recently granted the defense additional time to review newly disclosed material before cross-examining him further. Meanwhile, Netanyahu's defense attorney, Amit Hadad, is expected to wrap up his questioning, followed by Sharon Kleinman, counsel for Arnon Mozes, and subsequent re-examination by the prosecution.
Simultaneously, the prosecution is slated to submit its official position regarding a potential meeting between the judges and incumbent Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara. The request was raised last Thursday by Jacques Chen, attorney for Shaul Elovitch, following Mandelblit's testimony regarding ongoing investigative steps.
The court clarified that this is not a formal summons for Baharav-Miara to testify as a witness in the trial itself, as she did not hold her current position during the relevant period, nor did she oversee the investigation or file the indictment against Netanyahu. Previously, the judges suggested the prosecution reconsider the bribery charge in Case 4000 involving Bezeq, though prosecutors opted to proceed. Observers note the court may seek Baharav-Miara's perspective to facilitate high-level dialogue between the parties regarding core aspects of the proceedings.
