Top prosecutor hits back at Netanyahu’s criticism of state’s witnesses

State Prosecutor Shai Nitzan says his office would never tell a state’s witness to lie, rebuffing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s criticism of prosecutors last week.

“We would never enlist a state’s witness and tell him to lie in order to incriminate another person,” Nitzan says at a conference of the Israel Democracy Institute.

“State testimony, which purifies public corruption, has tremendous value for all of us,” he adds. “It should be remembered that corruption offenses, especially bribery, are not carried out publicly.”

In a video last week, Netanyahu accused investigators of engaging in a conspiracy to bring him down that includes encouraging false testimony and illegally pressuring witnesses.

Three former Netanyahu aides have turned state’s witness in a series of corruption investigations involving the prime minister.