Knesset Constitution Committee chairman MK Simcha Rothman (Religious Zionism) attacked former Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit on Wednesday following his testimony in Prime Minister Netanyahu's trial, saying Mandelblit and the prosecution "should be behind bars."
Speaking on Galei Israel radio, Rothman said: "The case that started with opening the evening news broadcasts during the investigation stage, every evening, reading protocols in a dramatic tone. And now the event happens, and the man who signed the indictment arrives, without whose signature there is no indictment according to Basic Law, and says: 'I don't even know what I signed.' And in this media, crickets, crickets! They are in a complete campaign so that the right will lose the elections."
Rothman was referring to testimony in which Mandelblit reportedly told the prosecutor handling the case that he had not fully reviewed all the evidence before signing off on the indictment against Netanyahu.
"This statement to the prosecutor is the biggest game changer there is," Rothman continued. "A legal adviser who made such a statement, a prosecutor who heard such a statement, and people who acted to use the criminal system of the State of Israel to advance their political views should be behind bars. Excuse my gentle words. They should be behind bars!"
The MK went further, calling for a Shin Bet investigation into the matter. "This is not even an event for the police to deal with. This is an event for the Shin Bet to handle, which is supposed to protect democracy. That is one of the Shin Bet's purposes. They are trying here to replace the government contrary to the will of the voter --- this is work for the head of the Shin Bet to investigate."
"This is an insane event," Rothman said. "They tried to steal the government in the State of Israel from me, from you, from every one of the listeners!"
