Israeli ministers attack AG for opposing police misconduct committee
Mandelblit announced his intention to prosecute Netanyahu on several corruption charges in November
Right-wing lawmakers on Friday attacked Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit during a cabinet meeting in which he voiced opposition to establishing a committee to look into alleged misconduct by the police department's internal investigation unit.
Mandelblit said he was against establishing the investigative body just weeks before Israel's upcoming general vote on March 2, fearing the committee could be illegally leveraged in post-election coalition negotiations.
Several government ministers, however, reportedly attacked the Attorney General's argument as hypocritical, noting that he had filed corruption charges against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the same period.
“It feels really strange that we’re gathering to discuss a such a trivial matter, like whether the government can check its own subordinates,” Transportation Minister Bezalel Smotrich stated, according to Hebrew broadcaster Channel 12.
Tourism Minister Yariv Levin, a senior member of Netanyahu's Likud party, also went on the offensive: “Clearly there’s no problem making decisions on criminal matters during elections, there’s no problem holding a hearing or serving an indictment during elections..."
“If your position was consistent across the board, it would be convincing. But this is an unacceptable interference in elections,” Levin added.
“You yourself took decisions regarding the prime minister. What did you get involved in the elections for? Why was that so urgent?,” asked Likud's David Amsalem, who serves as Israel's Communications Minister.
Mandelblit announced his intention to prosecute Netanyahu on several corruption charges in November, which include breach of public trust, bribery, and fraud, charges the premier vociferously denies.