Netanyahu testifies in his corruption trial

2024-12-10 17:33:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Netanyahu testifies in his corruption trial

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the court hearing during his appearance in his trial on corruption charges, in Tel Aviv, on December 10, 2024/ AP

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu testified in his corruption trial on Tuesday, becoming the first sitting Israeli leader to appear in court as an accused.

His testimony is also a low point in the career of Israel's longest-serving leader, who also faces an international arrest warrant on suspicion of war crimes during Israel's war in Gaza.

He is accused of accepting tens of thousands of dollars worth of cigars and champagne from a billionaire Hollywood producer in exchange for helping to advance his business and personal interests. He is also accused of having passed favorable rules for media owners in exchange for positive media coverage for him and his family.

In his testimony in a packed court in Tel Aviv, Prime Minister Netanyahu said he is a dedicated leader and defender of Israel's interests, calling the charges against him "like a drop in the ocean" compared to the challenges he faces. for the defense of his country.

But the allegations have deeply divided Israel and complicated Mr. Netanyahu's legacy, which is already tarnished by the war in Gaza and the increased international isolation Israel faces because of that conflict.

Mr Netanyahu said he was able to balance his court appearances with his duties as prime minister at a time when Israel is waging war in Gaza and now facing the fall of Bashar al-Assad in neighboring Syria.

"I have waited eight years for this moment, to tell the truth ," Mr. Netanyahu declared, standing on the stage, while his son Avner and several members of his Likud party were sitting in the courtroom.

During his appearances, Mr Netanyahu will respond to charges of fraud, breach of trust and bribery in three separate cases.

The 75-year-old leader denies the charges, calling them a witch hunt orchestrated by a hostile media and a biased legal system bent on ousting him from power. His testimony comes after years of scandal surrounding him and his family, which has earned a reputation for living a life of luxury at the expense of taxpayers.

He gave his version of events and personal details about his life, through which he hopes to shape the judges' impressions of him. He said that early in his public career he worried about media coverage, but that over time he realized that it mattered little, a contrast to the prosecution's portrayal of him as a man obsessed with his image.

He said he smokes cigars but rarely gets to finish them because of the amount of work he does and that he hates champagne.

His lawyer Amit Hadad accused the Israeli justice system of fabricating charges in an attempt to smear Prime Minister Netanyahu.

"A great effort has been made ... to find pieces of the mosaic that do not connect to each other ," he said, as Mr. Netanyahu sat behind him. "In court, when everything comes out, we see how unstable they are."

The testimony, which will last six hours a day, three days a week for several weeks, will consume a large portion of Prime Minister Netanyahu's work schedule, prompting critics to question whether he can manage to govern a country. mired in war on one front while trying to keep an eye on other possible regional threats, including from Iran.

His lawyer asked that he be allowed to accept documents during his testimony to ensure that he continues to govern the country. At one point during the trial, Netanyahu accepted the papers.

Critics accuse Prime Minister Netanyahu of dragging out the war in Gaza and delaying a ceasefire deal that would have allowed the release of around 100 hostages still being held by the militants since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7 last year.

During his testimony in court, Mr. Netanyahu criticized the media. Media owners are also involved in the case against him.

"There has never been such a one-sided media in any other democracy ... as there is in Israel ," he told the court while describing his strained relationship with the media.

During his testimony, he complained that he works 17 to 18 hours a day, engaged in meetings, especially during the last year while Israel is fighting on two fronts.

"If only I could steal five minutes to spend time with my wife" , he declared in court on Tuesday.

His testimony is being held in a fortified courtroom, underground, for security reasons. In front of the court, dozens of protesters, supporters and opponents of Mr. Netanyahu, gathered. A sign outside the court read "Crime-Minister" and both sides chanted slogans. Several families of the hostages were also present at the demonstration.

Under Israeli law, prime ministers who are indicted are not required to resign. But the accusations against Mr. Netanyahu caused deep divisions in Israel. Protesters demanded his resignation and his former political allies refused to serve in his government, sparking a political crisis that prompted five elections in less than four years.

His supporters see the charges as the result of partiality and overreach by the justice system.

Despite calls for his resignation, Prime Minister Netanyahu has used his position as prime minister to criticize law enforcement, the media and the courts.

Since the trial began in 2020, the court has heard prosecution witnesses in the three cases, including some of Mr Netanyahu's former advisers who turned state witnesses. The prosecution has tried to portray the prime minister as a leader obsessed with his image, who broke the law to improve the public's impression of him.

His testimony could further damage his image at this difficult time. Support for Hamas plummeted after the attack, while the public accused it of failing to prevent the attack. If the elections were held today, he would have a hard time forming the government.

The Israeli leader along with his former defense minister are facing an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes related to the war in Gaza. The arrest warrant puts Mr. Netanyahu in the same group as Russian President Vladimir Putin and the former leader of Sudan, Omar al-Bashir./ VOA