Mandelblit takes veiled swipe at Netanyahu in parting words

Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit, who will be ending his term this week, aims veiled criticism at former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu in his parting words.

“A government that works to weaken the rule of law, or, God forbid, acts against the rule of law, harms the public,” Mandelblit tells cabinet ministers ahead of his departure from the role on Tuesday.

“There were those who tried to present the violation of the rule of law as an ideological move, under the heading of ‘governance,’ but time and time again we saw that what really stood behind these moves was a desire to advance personal interests, severely violating the principle of public loyalty,” Mandeblit adds.

Mandelbit was the attorney general who indicted Netanyahu on multiple corruption charges, in a trial that is still ongoing. Netanyahu has repeatedly dismissed the charges as a witch hunt against him and strove to delegitimize the state prosecution over its decision.