Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking at a Likud faction meeting, called on Wednesday for an inquiry into the investigators who brought corruption charges against him.
Attorney General Avichai Mendelblit has accused Netanyahu of trying to discredit the country's criminal justice system while he is on trial for bribery, fraud and breach of trust. He denies any wrongdoing.
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Netanyahu's Likud party and allies voiced anger this week after Channel 12 News reported that police and prosecutors had failed to disclose alleged conflicts of interest by an investigator who the report said was involved in the cases against him.
The report also claimed that former state prosecutor Shai Nitzan closed several probes into alleged police wrongdoing out of fear it could tarnish the image of law enforcement as it was investigating Netanyahu for corruption.
"It is clear that the police and prosecution are making political decisions against justice and law in order to topple a right-wing prime minister," Netanyahu said at the start of the meeting on Wednesday evening.
"This conduct must be investigated," said Netanyahu.
"Is it possible that the attorney general didn't know about all this behavior? Is it possible he didn't approve this? I estimate with caution that the attorney general will not check into this. There's no alternative but an independent inquiry.
"Obviously there are political decisions being made here by senior law enforcement officials who are distorting justice and the law in order to overthrow a right-wing prime minister, in order to overthrow us.
"It is impossible not to be shocked. This conduct must be investigated. But who will investigate? The police chief who protects the investigator? The state prosecutor who protects the police chief? Perhaps the attorney general? Could it be that the attorney general did not know about all of this misconduct? Could it really be that he did not approve of this misconduct?" Netanyahu asked.
A spokesman for the State Attorney's Office declined to comment on Netanyahu's remarks.
In a statement, Israel's justice ministry said the investigator referenced in the Channel 12 report was not involved in the case in which the person allegedly had a conflict of interest.
Mendelblit called claims of judicial impropriety "baseless falsehoods entirely intended to delegitimize the justice system and its decisions regarding the prime minister."
Netanyahu, whose corruption trial began in May and is set to resume in January, was sworn in for a fifth term this summer after striking a unity deal with his principal election rival, former IDF chief Benny Gantz, who heads the Blue and White party.
Speaking after Netanyahu's remarks, Gantz, who has been at odds with the premier over the coronavirus response and fiscal policy, said: "Sharp attacks by the government against the law enforcement system are a danger to Israeli democracy."
"The justice system was not born and will not be torn down for the benefit or harm of one man or another," Gantz said. "We will stand together as a wall to protect the law enforcement system."
Opposition chairman Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid) said in a statement: "After the prime minister's insane statement calling for an independent inquiry into the prosecution, Blue and White cannot remain in this destructive government. Netanyahu is rushing to abolish democracy in Israel. They cannot continue to support it."
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