AG who indicted Netanyahu gets death threats, files police complaint

Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit, who indicted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a series of graft cases, filed a complaint Wednesday with police after receiving death threats and other harassing messages.

A statement from the Justice Ministry said Mandelblit provided testimony to police investigators and that the messages, many of which were sent to the attorney general’s cellphone over the past day, appeared to be part of an organized campaign.

“This harassment and threats, which were apparently organized, continued throughout the night and morning. The harassment includes threats, derisive statements and incitement,” the statement said.

The ministry did not indicate who may have been behind the harassment.

Among the messages sent to Mandelblit were “You and your family will die,” “You should kill yourself” and “We’ll get to you and your kids,” as well as a photo of him in a Nazi uniform, Channels 12 and 13 reported. He was also sent a clip of a coffin being carried, the report said.

Supporters of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu demonstrate near Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit’s home in Petah Tikva, October 29, 2019. (Flash90)

According to the report, officials believed the messages are tied to a protest scheduled to take place near Mandelblit’s home in Petah Tikva over the weekend against his decision to press charges against Netanyahu in three criminal cases.

The trial of Netanyahu, who denies wrongdoing, is set to begin May 24.

Mandelblit has come under fire in recent months from supporters of the prime minister over the filing of the indictments last year, which Netanyahu has decried as an “attempted coup” orchestrated by the media, the opposition, the police and the state prosecution hierarchy, led by Mandelblit.

Police have previously investigated alleged harassment of Mandelblit, and in 2018 his father’s grave was defaced.