by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief
(Worthy News) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu demanded Tuesday night that his long-running corruption trial be terminated immediately, accusing senior law enforcement officials of orchestrating a politically motivated prosecution designed to remove him from office.
Speaking to i24News, Netanyahu declared that the charges against him had collapsed after years of legal proceedings that had “embittered my life and the life of my dear wife, my sons and all my relatives.”
“Today it turns out it is simply crude political hunting,” Netanyahu said, demanding criminal investigations into former Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit, former State Attorney Shai Nitzan, and prosecutors Yehudit Tirosh and Liat Ben-Ari.
His demands follow potentially significant testimony from Mandelblit, who acknowledged in Jerusalem District Court that investigators had undertaken serious actions without his specific authorization. However, Mandelblit maintained that he had approved the principal investigative steps.
During Tuesday’s proceedings, Netanyahu’s attorney, Amit Hadad, questioned Mandelblit about whether political considerations influenced his decision to prosecute the prime minister. Prosecutors objected, and the judges deferred a ruling on whether Mandelblit must answer. The former attorney general also acknowledged that wording used during the investigation had been deliberately broad.
Netanyahu’s Likud party previously demanded that the proceedings be dismissed, alleging that investigators fabricated the cases to accomplish through the courts what political opponents could not achieve at the ballot box.
The trial, which began in 2020, involves three cases alleging bribery, fraud and breach of trust. The accusations concern gifts from wealthy businessmen, alleged efforts to secure favorable media coverage, and purported regulatory favors. Netanyahu has consistently denied wrongdoing, and no court has found him guilty.
The confrontation comes just days before Israel’s October 27 parliamentary elections, with Netanyahu fighting to retain power amid growing political uncertainty. His defense continued pressing for investigative records Wednesday as Mandelblit’s testimony resumed, ensuring the legal controversy remains a central issue in Israel’s increasingly contentious election campaign.
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