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Former state prosecutor Avichai Mandelblit testified on Tuesday in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s trial, facing cross-examination by Netanyahu’s lawyer Amit Hadad regarding approvals given for investigations into Netanyahu across files 1000, 2000, and 4000. During his testimony, Mandelblit struggled to recall whether he explicitly approved investigating Netanyahu on suspicion of bribery in case 4000.

Netanyahu’s defence team presented a quote allegedly made by Mandelblit to prosecutor Liat Tirosh, questioning the motivations behind the investigation and challenging the legal basis for opening the case. The judges called for establishing a ‘factual foundation’ regarding Mandelblit’s motives and criticised the warning given at the start of the investigation.

Mandelblit clarified that even if he made certain statements, this would not necessarily justify opening a particular file. The trial continues with ongoing debates over the procedural legitimacy and potential bias in how the investigations were initiated and conducted.

Sources: Ynet, Walla, www.israelhayom.co.il, Times of Israel