Netanyahu Trial: Prosecution Opposes Summoning Attorney General

Prosecutor Yehudit Tirosh, a member of the prosecution team in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's corruption trial, addressed a request by Netanyahu's attorney, Amit Hadad, to summon Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara to testify in court on Wednesday, according to a report by Channel 14.

Tirosh argued that requiring the attorney general to appear in court while the prosecution team and senior State Attorney's Office officials are already handling the proceedings would be inconsistent with the established working procedures of Israel's prosecution system. “A situation in which the attorney general comes to court while the prosecution team and senior prosecution officials are present is not appropriate in terms of the working procedures of Israel's prosecution system,” she said.

Defense Raises Questions Over Authorization of Investigative Actions

The defense's request follows questions raised during the testimony of former Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit, particularly concerning the authorization of investigations and investigative measures in the corruption cases against Netanyahu, commonly known as Cases 1000, 2000, and 4000. His testimony prompted renewed scrutiny of how decisions to authorize investigative actions were made, whether the necessary approvals were obtained, and the extent of his oversight during the investigations.

Netanyahu's defense team has sought to establish whether all investigative measures were properly authorized and whether documentation exists showing that Mandelblit imposed restrictions on investigators. Court proceedings have included the examination of protocols and internal records from the investigative period, alongside disputes over materials that were either not located or not provided to the defense. Against this backdrop, the defense requested that the panel of judges summon Baharav-Miara to testify.

Prosecutor Says Door Remains Open to Possible Settlement

According to Channel 14, Tirosh also told the Jerusalem District Court that senior legal officials remain open to discussions about a possible negotiated resolution of Netanyahu's trial.

“If the court is directing the proceedings toward a resolution through agreement or settlement, this is an opportunity to reiterate that the doors of the attorney general and the state attorney remain open for direct discussions regarding a possible settlement in Netanyahu's trial,” she said.

Her remarks indicated that the prosecution remains willing to consider a negotiated resolution, even as disagreements continue over the handling of the original investigations and the defense's request to summon the attorney general.