AG bans police from Knesset debate on PM probes, citing fears of ‘obstruction’

Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit is prohibiting law enforcement officials from appearing at a Knesset committee debate on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s graft probes, saying he fears lawmakers’ expected public pressuring of officials could amount to obstruction.

The committee was to discuss Netanyahu’s claims that a vindictive police officer is behind the numerous criminal investigations that he and his wife are currently embroiled in.

The former head of the Israel Police’s Lahav 433 anti-graft unit, Roni Rittman, reportedly believed the Netanyahus engineered his forced resignation in February on allegations of sexual assault.

Earlier this week, the Netanyahu family’s lawyers asked Mandelblit to reexamine evidence collected by Rittman, saying it was biased against the prime minister and his wife Sara.