The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, took the witness stand for the first time on Tuesday in his long-running corruption trial, reported the Associated Press (AP).
The corruption trial adds to Netanyahu’s legal troubles as he faces an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged war crimes in Gaza. It also comes at a time of increased uncertainty engulfing the Middle East, amid the war in Gaza and the recent turmoil in Syria.
Netanyahu’s Testimony
Testifying before court for the first time, Netanyahu told the three judges seeing the case: “I have been waiting for eight years for this moment, to tell the truth,” calling the charges against him “an ocean of absurdness.”
After that, he started to tell his version of events, sharing personal details that he thought would shape the judges’ view of him, in an attempt to contrast the prosecution’s depiction of him as image-obsessed.
Netanyahu, 75 years old, is the first Israeli sitting prime minister to take the stand as a criminal defendant.
Three Separate Cases
The Israeli Prime Minister’s trial involves charges of fraud, breach of trust and bribery in three separate cases. After years of investigation, the Israeli Justice Ministry indicted him in 2019, and the trial started in 2020. Netanyahu has previously appeared in court, but this is the first time to testify.
The first case involves promoting regulation worth around $500mn to Bezeq Telecom Israel. In return, Bezeq’s news website, Walla, would provide positive coverage of Netanyahu and his family.
The second case is related to accepting gifts, worth $200,000, from Israeli Hollywood producer, Arnon Milchan, and Australian billionaire, James Packer, in return for Netanyahu helping in promoting their business interests. According to prosecutors, the gifts included a “supply line” of jewelry, expensive cigars and champagne.
Meanwhile, the third case charges Netanyahu with negotiating a deal with Arnon Mozes, the publisher of the Yediot Ahronot daily newspaper, to provide a positive coverage for him in exchange for a legislation that would weaken Israel Hayom, a rival newspaper.
Denying Charges
The Israeli Prime Minister has denied charges against him, calling them a witch hunt orchestrated by hostile media, police and prosecutors to topple his rule.
In his testimony, Netanyahu said he smoked cigars but his workload prevents him from finishing them, adding that he hated champagne.
Increasing Doubts
Netanyahu will testify three times a week for six hours a day. The testimony will last for several weeks, casting doubts about his ability to manage the country amid the ongoing war in Gaza and the potential threats engulfing the region after escalation with Iran and the recent developments in Syria.
However, the Israeli Prime Minister said he could “find a balance” between both commitments.
Netanyahu’s lawyers requested reducing the expected testimony hours, and tried to delay the start of the trial due to his busy schedule, but an Israeli court rejected the requests. The trial is not expected to conclude before 2026.
Deep Divisions
Netanyahu’s corruption trial has caused deep division inside Israel. Protestors demanded his resignation and his former political allies refused to serve in government. This led to one of the biggest political crises in Israel, with five elections held in less than four years since 2019.
On the other hand, the Prime Minister’s supporters view the corruption charges as the result of the justice system’s bias and overreach.
Netanyahu, the longest serving Israeli Prime Minister, has rejected calls to step down, and used his powers to undermine the role of law enforcement, media and judiciary.
