Ex-AG Mandelblit to begin testimony in Netanyahu’s corruption trial; PM expected in court

Today, 8:39 am

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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, speaks with then-cabinet secretary Avichai Mandelblit, later attorney general, during a cabinet meeting in Jerusalem, September 21, 2014. (AP/Menahem Kahana, Pool/File)

Former attorney general Avichai Mandelblit will begin his testimony at the Jerusalem District Court today in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s corruption trial.

Netanyahu, who does not regularly attend hearings, is expected to be in court.

Mandelblit was the attorney general who indicted Netanyahu on charges of fraud and breach of trust in all three of the cases against the prime minister, and one charge of bribery in one of those cases.

Netanyahu has in the past accused Mandelblit of having indicted him in order to have him removed from office, which Mandelblit has denied.

Netanyahu’s lawyers have request that Mandelblit testify from October 11 to October 22, ending just five days before the October 27 election.

The move may be a tactic by Netanyahu to shift pre-election national attention to his trial by having his defense team assail Mandelblit in court over his decision to file the indictment.