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Jerusalem court orders attorney general to produce authorization for probes

The ruling applies to three cases for which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is under indictment. His lawyers argue that the permission to investigate was only provided retroactively.

Israeli Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit at a ceremony for outgoing State Prosecutor Shai Nitzan in Jerusalem, on Dec. 18, 2019. Photo by Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90.
Israeli Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit at a ceremony for outgoing State Prosecutor Shai Nitzan in Jerusalem, on Dec. 18, 2019. Photo by Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90.

In a decision that could have significant political ramifications, the Jerusalem District Court on Tuesday ordered prosecutors to hand over Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit’s authorization for police investigations into Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Prosecutors have seven days in which to produce the relevant documents to Netanyahu’s defense team.

The court’s ruling applies to three cases for which Netanyahu is under indictment. The prime minister’s lawyers have argued that the permission, which the attorney general must grant, was only provided retroactively.

If that is found to be the case, the prime minister’s attorneys have demanded that all charges, which Netanyahu vehemently denies, must be dropped.

The court rejected prosecutors’ argument that the authorizations were not related to the investigation.

This article first appeared in Israel Hayom.

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