TEL AVIV, Israel — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised defiantly on Tuesday to knock down corruption allegations in opposition to him as he started testifying in his long-running trial, changing into the primary sitting Israeli chief to take the stand as a prison defendant.
The testimony is one other low level for Israel’s longest-serving chief, who additionally faces a world arrest warrant for alleged battle crimes in Israel’s battle in Gaza.
In his opening testimony in a packed Tel Aviv courtroom, Netanyahu argued that he was a devoted chief and a defender of Israel’s pursuits, swatting away the fees in opposition to him as a “drop in the sea” in comparison with the challenges he has confronted defending his nation.
However the expenses have torn open divisions in Israel and complex Netanyahu’s legacy, which has additionally been tainted by the battle in Gaza and the rising worldwide isolation Israel faces due to it.
Talking freely and showing relaxed, Netanyahu stated he might steadiness showing at his trial together with his duties as prime minister at a time when Israel remains to be combating a battle in Gaza and contending with the autumn of Bashar Assad in neighboring Syria.
“I waited eight years for this moment, to say the truth,” Netanyahu stated, standing at a podium, together with his son Avner and several other members of his Likud social gathering seated on the courtroom benches. He stated his testimony would “poke holes in the absurd accusations.”
Netanyahu will reply throughout his courtroom appearances to expenses of fraud, breach of belief and accepting bribes in three separate instances.
He’s accused of accepting tens of 1000’s of {dollars}’ price of cigars and champagne from a billionaire Hollywood producer in alternate for help with private and enterprise pursuits. He’s additionally accused of selling advantageous laws for media moguls in alternate for favorable protection of himself and his household.
Netanyahu, 75, denies wrongdoing, saying the fees are a witch hunt orchestrated by a hostile media and a biased authorized system out to topple his prolonged rule. His testimony caps years of scandals which have swirled round him and his household, who’ve gained a popularity as having fun with a lavish way of life at taxpayers’ expense.
Netanyahu’s testimony is happening in an underground, fortified courtroom for safety causes. Exterior the courthouse, dozens of protesters gathered, each supporters of Netanyahu and his opponents. A banner draped outdoors learn “Crime Minister” as either side chanted slogans. Some households of hostages held in Gaza additionally demonstrated.
At first of his testimony, a decide instructed Netanyahu he had the identical privileges as different witnesses and will sit or stand as he selected.
Netanyahu instructed his model of occasions and shared private particulars about his life that he would possibly hope would form the judges’ notion of him. He stated at the beginning of his profession in public service he would lose sleep over media protection however discovered it had no significant bearing — in distinction to the prosecution’s makes an attempt to color him as image-obsessed.
He stated he smoked cigars however might hardly end them due to his workload, and hated champagne.
Forward of the testimony’s begin, Netanyahu’s lawyer, Amit Hadad, accused the Israeli justice system of constructing up the fees in an try and ensnare Netanyahu.
“There was a huge effort … to find a few pieces of a puzzle that don’t connect to each other,” Haddad stated, as Netanyahu sat on a bench behind him. “In court, in the light of day, we see everything falls apart.”
The testimony, set to happen six hours a day, three days every week for a number of weeks, will take up a big chunk of Netanyahu’s working hours, prompting critics to ask if he can capably handle a rustic embroiled in a battle on one entrance, containing the fallout from a second, and preserving tabs on different potential regional threats, together with from Iran.
His lawyer requested that he be allowed to obtain notes whereas testifying to assist guarantee he might proceed working the nation, and at some factors throughout the trial, Netanyahu did.
Underneath Israeli legislation, indicted prime ministers usually are not required to step down. However the expenses in opposition to Netanyahu cleaved deep divisions in Israel, with protesters demanding he resign and former political allies refusing to serve in authorities with the Israeli chief, triggering a political disaster that led to 5 elections in lower than 4 years starting in 2019.
Netanyahu’s supporters view the fees as the results of bias and overreach by the justice system.
Regardless of the strain, Netanyahu has rejected calls to step down and has used his place as prime minister to lash out at legislation enforcement, media and courts.
An Israeli courtroom rejected a request by Netanyahu’s legal professionals to cut back the anticipated variety of hours of testimony, in addition to a number of different requests to delay its begin, which they stated had been essential due to the prime minister’s busy schedule and the nation’s important challenges. A verdict isn’t anticipated till 2026 on the earliest and Netanyahu could have the choice to enchantment to the Supreme Courtroom.
For the reason that trial started in 2020, the courtroom has heard prosecution witnesses within the three instances, together with a few of Netanyahu’s as soon as closest aides who turned state witnesses. The prosecution has tried to painting the prime minister as an image-obsessed chief who broke the legislation to enhance his public notion.
Netanyahu’s testimony might additional tarnish his picture at a sophisticated time. His common help dropped after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, assaults, with the general public blaming his management for failing to stop the assault, and if elections had been held at this time he would battle to type a authorities. Israel remains to be combating Hamas in Gaza endlessly, regardless of heavy worldwide strain to wind down the battle, in addition to strain from the households of hostages held in Gaza and their supporters to carry their family members house.
The Israeli chief alongside together with his former protection minister additionally face an arrest warrant from the Worldwide Felony Courtroom for alleged battle crimes expenses associated to the battle in Gaza. The warrant places Netanyahu in the identical firm as Russian President Vladimir Putin and former Sudanese chief Omar al-Bashir.