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Benjamin Netanyahu begins giving evidence in his corruption trial

Israeli prime minister, who has long avoided appearing, is charged with fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes

Netanyahu is accused of accepting tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of cigars and champagne from a billionaire Hollywood producer, and of promoting advantageous regulation for media moguls. Photograph: Menahem Kahana/Reuters

Netanyahu is accused of accepting tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of cigars and champagne from a billionaire Hollywood producer, and of promoting advantageous regulation for media moguls. Photograph: Menahem Kahana/Reuters

Benjamin Netanyahu has begun giving evidence in a court in Tel Aviv in his long-running corruption trial, becoming the first sitting Israeli prime minister to take the stand as a criminal defendant.

“I have waited eight years for this moment, to say the truth as I remember it, which is important for justice,” said Netanyahu, who was wearing a blue suit and white shirt, with a flag of Israel on one lapel and the yellow ribbon symbol of Israel’s hostages in Gaza on the other. “But I am also a prime minister. I am leading the country through a seven-front war. And I think the two can be done in parallel.”

He called the charges against him “an ocean of absurdness” and promised his version would cut through the prosecution’s case.

Netanyahu, who is charged with fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in three separate cases, is expected in the first instance to be questioned by his defence lawyer for several days.

The 75-year-old is accused of accepting tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of cigars and champagne from a billionaire Hollywood producer in exchange for assisting him with personal and business interests, and of promoting advantageous regulation for media moguls in exchange for favourable coverage of himself and his family.

He denies wrongdoing, saying the charges are a “witch-hunt” orchestrated by a hostile media and a biased legal system out to topple his lengthy rule.

Asked by his lawyer Amit Hadad on Tuesday about the accusation that he had “indulgently” “exploited his position to receive benefits worth hundreds of thousands of shekels” Netanyahu said the allegations were “total lies”.

“I work 17, 18 hours a day,” he said. “Everyone who knows me knows this. That’s how I work. I eat my meals at my work table, it’s not cordon bleu, it’s not waiters coming with white gloves.”

Netanyahu’s testimony follows evidence from 120 prosecution witnesses in three cases known popularly as Cases 1,000, 2,000 and 4,000. Netanyahu had arrived in court earlier appearing serious and somewhat haggard, shaking hands with the ministers and MPs who had come to support him as he arrived.

Other government ministers, including Israel’s justice minister, issued statements of support before the proceedings. Critics of the prime minister and supporters mounted rival demonstrations outside the court building.

The rightwing populist politician, who is also wanted under an international warrant issued by the ICC for alleged war crimes in Gaza, has long tried to avoid this day, despite insisting on Monday night in a taped video address that he welcomed the opportunity to give evidence.

His appearance in a small, stuffy and crowded courtroom follows last-minute efforts by his political allies in the Knesset to put off the court date, citing clashes over voting, as well as the invocation of the security situation in Israel.

In his opening speech, Hadad criticised the indictment against his client, saying: “The Israeli police did not investigate a crime, but a person” provocatively comparing the process against Netanyahu to something that might be seen in “Russia or North Korea”.

The appearance is an embarrassing milestone for a leader who has tried to cultivate an image as a sophisticated and respected statesman, while also making high-profile attempts to sideline Israel’s independent judiciary.

Dozens of people gathered outside the court in Tel Aviv, some protesting against Netanyahu, including family members of hostages held in Gaza, and also a group of his supporters. A banner draped in front of the court read: “Crime Minister.”

Under Israeli law, indicted prime ministers are not required to step down. Nevertheless, the charges against Netanyahu have exposed deep divisions in Israel. Protesters demanded he resign and former political allies refused to serve in his government, triggering a political crisis that led to five elections in less than four years beginning in 2019.

The testimony, due to take place for six hours a day, three days a week for several weeks, will take up a significant chunk of Netanyahu’s working hours, prompting critics to ask if he can capably manage a country embroiled in a war on one front, containing the fallout from a second, and keeping tabs on other potential regional threats, including from Iran or the recent fall of Bashar al-Assad in Syria.

An Israeli court rejected a request by Netanyahu’s lawyers to reduce the expected testimony hours, as well as several other requests to delay the start of the testimony, which they said were necessary because of the prime minister’s busy schedule and the country’s significant challenges.

Author: Peter Beaumont in Jerusalem

Source: The Guardian

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