Defense presses former attorney general on trial limits

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is on trial for fraud, breach of trust, and bribery in three separate cases.

Former attorney-general Avichai Mandelblit appeared at the Jerusalem District Court on Monday to answer defense questions about the scope of police authority.

Mandelblit initially approved the investigations and later signed the indictment. Netanyahu's lawyer, Amit Hadad, focused on whether investigators exceeded the specific permissions granted by the former official.

During Sunday's testimony, Mandelblit stated that police should have sought his approval before wiretapping Natan Eshel, a confidant of the prime minister. Investigators had obtained a court warrant, but Mandelblit argued the sensitivity of Eshel's role required prior consent. He noted he ordered the wiretapping to stop once he learned of the operation.

On Monday, the hearing addressed the preliminary examination that evolved into Case 1000. This case involves alleged gifts from businessmen Arnon Milchan and James Packer, as well as actions taken to benefit Milchan.

Hadad asked if questioning Milchan's assistant, Hadas Klein, and Packer's driver, Yonatan Hasson, went beyond the original authorization. Mandelblit maintained that the questioning fell within his broader permission to examine suspicions of substantial benefits. He explained that this permission remained in force, meaning investigators did not need to seek approval for every individual action.

Judge Moshe Bar-Am asked how investigators could distinguish between steps covered by the general authorization and those requiring new consent. Mandelblit replied that the subject matter set the boundaries, while major developments would call for further consultation.