The corruption trial against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been going on for more than four years. Now he has spoken out in court for the first time. He wants to refute the “absurd accusations” against him.
Netanyahu thanked Chief Justice Rivka Friedman-Feldman and said: “I have waited eight years for this moment to tell the truth as I remember it.” The judge granted the defense’s request to receive notes from the head of government during the meetings with important information about current political developments. At a press conference Monday evening, Netanyahu criticized the trial as a systematic persecution of himself. He accused the media of spreading lies.
Cabinet members in the room in solidarity
For security reasons, the trial will take place in an underground hall of the Tel Aviv District Court. A total of twelve ministers in his cabinet had called for the investigation to be postponed due to Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip and the region. The judiciary rejected this. Several ministers were in the courtroom to show their solidarity with the accused head of government. The accused head of government greeted them with a smile when he arrived.
Acting Prime Minister in court for the first time
It is the first time that a sitting prime minister has been tried in Israel. The process can take years. It has been postponed until now due to the Gaza war. Netanyahu will testify three times a week for about two months. The 75-year-old is accused of fraud, breach of trust and bribery. Bribery can result in up to ten years in prison, and fraud and breach of trust can result in up to three years in prison. Netanyahu is accused, among other things, of granting benefits to the telecommunications giant Bezeq as Minister of Communications. He is also said to have accepted lavish gifts from billionaire friends.
“There is no immunity against corruption”
Numerous opponents of the government who also demonstrated in front of the courthouse on Tuesday are already convinced of his guilt. “There is no immunity from corruption,” read one of the signs they held up. Before the war, Netanyahu’s legal troubles had deeply divided Israelis and shaken politics.
After Netanyahu’s 2022 election victory, his far-right government launched a legal campaign to limit the court’s power. That sparked mass protests in Israel and raised concerns among Western allies about the country’s democracy. The conservative politician denied any link between the judicial reform and his trial. After the outbreak of war, he largely abandoned the plan, but in recent weeks he has again spoken out about possible judicial reforms.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
