Ben-Gvir Calls to End Netanyahu Trial and Investigate Prosecutors

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called on November 12 for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s trial to be ended and for prosecutors and the attorney general to be investigated. In a statement on his official channel, he alleged that the prosecution had fabricated a criminal case against a sitting prime minister in an effort to overturn democracy. Ben-Gvir said the proceedings had long since become a trial of the prosecution. “The time has come to end the fabricated trial,” he said, using his own characterization of the case. He accused prosecutors of criminal conduct and demanded an investigation of the prosecution and Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara. In the trial, Jerusalem District Court judges Rivka Friedman-Feldman, Moshe Bar-Am and Oded Shaham ordered Baharav-Miara to attend a hearing personally on November 18 at 09:30. They said direct attendance by the decision-maker would allow a purposeful two-way discussion, and said they would consider a closed hearing if necessary. Prosecutor Yehudit Tirosh said the attorney general handled the case through an orderly process and that the prosecution team regularly conveyed developments and the judges’ remarks. She said Baharav-Miara and the state attorney remained open to direct discussions about an agreement or arrangement. Netanyahu’s lawyer Amit Hadad said the court could summon the attorney general and that her attendance was appropriate.