Justice minister rejects Likud MK’s attack on Mandelblit as ‘fake news’

Justice Minister Avi Nissenkorn of Blue and White clashed with a Likud legislator at the Knesset earlier today, after the latter called for further pressure on Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit over his actions in the Harpaz affair.

MK Shlomo Karai asked Nissenkorn during a Knesset discussion whether he would insist on Mandelblit releasing 2010 recordings of conversations Mandelblit had with Gabi Ashkenazi, then the IDF chief and now the foreign minister. Critics have claimed these recordings indicate the two were acting illegally to quash an investigation into the affair.

“Are you not worried that the attorney general [now] holds the authorities of the only post that could probe him?” Karai asked Nissenkorn, referring to Mandelblit recently also assuming the responsibilities of acting state attorney, until the post is filled, “Will you demand that the attorney general publish the recordings? Will you demand his resignation?”

Nissenkorn responded by saying it would be well for Karai to “focus on serving the public rather than attempting to baselessly slander public servants.”

He said Mandelblit’s conduct in the affair “was reviewed by all relevant parties. To my understanding, all recordings relevant to Mandelblit are known to law enforcement and he was questioned on them.

“Fake news will stay fake news even if we repeat it a hundred times.”