Attorney General Dr. Avichai Mandelblit tonight responded to the publication of the recordings in which he was heard sharply attacking then State Attorney Shai Nitzan.
"The Attorney General, Dr. Avichai Mandelblit, regretted the publication of an exchange of words, some in loose and inappropriate language, said in a moment of anger, in a private conversation between close friends about five years ago," it was reported.
"However, there is no connection between these words and professional decisions made by the Attorney General in investigative cases at all. The decisions were made in an orderly and professional procedure, solely according to the evidence and the law applicable to them," a spokesman added in a statement on his behalf.
"Indeed, at the time of the talks, Mandelblit had serious allegations against certain parties involved in his investigation as a suspect in the Harpaz affair, including regarding the cause of the case's being shut. Despite this, Mandelblit made sure to maintain statesmanly and respectful public conduct throughout, and upon taking office he undertook to guard the institution of the Attorney General and even declared this publicly. In this context, Mandelblit undertook to maintain a normal working relationship with all parties involved, and to leave all personal sediment behind," the statement said.
The statement continued, "Dr. Mandelblit's working relationship with the former State Attorney, Adv. Shai Nitzan, was excellent, and the two worked in full cooperation and soundness of mind to ensure the rule of law in the State of Israel. The achievements as a result of this cooperation speak for themselves. Also with Adv. Dina Zilber, with whom dealings were straightened out when Mandelblit took office, and recently even asked for an extension of her term for another three months."
"As previously reported, after a panel of five Supreme Court judges ruled that Mandelblit's actions were not flawed, his lawyer appealed to the prosecution to rule that the case was closed out of innocence. Senior prosecutors stated at the time that in light of the Supreme Court's ruling, this is indeed the legal status (innocence), but the formal decision will not be made by any of the prosecutors as long as they are subordinate to Mandelblit. In this matter, a decision was recently published by the Ombudsman for Complaints against the State's Representatives in the Courts, the Honorable Justice (retired) David Rosen, which speaks for itself," the response was signed.