Benjamin Netanyahu began testifying in a Tel Aviv court in a long-running corruption trial, becoming the first sitting Israeli prime minister to stand trial as a criminal.
“For eight years I have endured this moment, as I remember to tell the truth, which is relevant to justice,” said Netanyahu, who wears a blue shirt and a white shirt with a flag. Israel from one lapel and a yellow ribbon symbolizing the Israeli occupation of Gaza from the other.
“But I am also the prime minister. I lead the country for seven years before the war. And I think both can be done in parallel.
Calling the charges against him “a reek of absurdity,” he promised to cut his version of events through the prosecution’s case, as they were told between highlighting his international importance and painting himself and his family as victims.
Netanyahu, who is accused of fraud, fraud, trust and receiving money in three cases, will be questioned by his defense lawyer for several days in the first case.
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 helping him with personal and business interests, and promoting the interests of the media mogul’s organization in exchange for favorable coverage of himself and his family.
He denies wrongdoing, saying it is a crime orchestrated by a hostile media and a bent legal system to undermine his long-standing rule.
The court spent months hearing the prosecution’s witnesses in three cases, including some of Netanyahu’s closest aides, who turned state witnesses, who testified in detail, controlling the picture and obsessing over the picture.
Asked by his lawyer Amit Hadad on Tuesday about the accusation that he “more leniently” explained his position to receive benefits of 100,000 shekels, Netanyahu said the allegations were “total lies.”
Netanyahu’s military strategy appeared on the opening day of the trial to discuss a political issue, listing what he sees as the hope of turning the judges into so many political matters.
In these open responses, Netanyahu took the opportunity to portray himself as a distinguished global figure, a public servant who was not interested in the media, who needed to be connected to the court even to proceed.
At one point he appeared to criticize the former Obama administration’s Middle East policy and was just complaining about the press coverage of himself and his wife, which he had been working on for a long time.
“I work 17, 18 hours a day.” “Everyone who knows me knows this. That’s how I work. I eat my dinners at my table, it’s not cordon bleu, the waiters don’t come with white gloves.
He said that he smoked cigars, but rarely finished them because of his workload, and that he hated champagne.
Netanyahu’s testimony follows testimony from 120 prosecution witnesses in three cases commonly known as Cases 1,000, 2,000 and 4,000. Netanyahu had come into the courtroom before his arrival, heavy and somewhat languid, shaking hands with ministers and MPs who had come to support him as he arrived.
Other government officials, including Israel’s minister of justice, announced aid statements before the proceedings. Critics of the prime minister and supporters have built rival demonstrations outside the court.
The democratic right-wing politician, who is also wanted under an international passport issued by the ICC for war crimes in Gaza, has long tried to avoid this day, although he insists on Monday night in a clear video email that he received the opportunity to testify. .
His appearance in the small, stuffy and crowded market follows last-ditch efforts by his political allies in the Knesset to postpone the court date, citing the voter turnout, as well as invoking the security situation in Israel.
In his opening speech, Adad criticized the prosecution against his client, saying: “The Israeli police did not investigate the crime, but the man,” provocatively comparing the process against Netanyahu to something that could be seen in “Russia or North Korea.”
It’s a narrow soldier’s look for a leader who has tried to cultivate an image as a sophisticated and respected politician, while also making high-profile attempts to approach Israel’s independent judiciary.
Dozens of people gathered outside the court in Tel Aviv, some protesting against Netanyahu, including family members held hostage in Gaza, and also a group of his supporters. A banner draped over the front of the court read: “Criminal Minister”.
Under Israeli law, designated prime ministers are not required to step down. However, the charges against Netanyahu have exposed deep divisions in Israel. Protesters demanded his resignation and former political allies refused to serve in his government, sparking a political crisis that led to five elections in less than four years beginning in 2019.
Before Netanyahu’s war, Israel’s political situation was sharply divided and Israeli politics were shaken by five consecutive elections. His attempt last year to rein in the powers of the judiciary further polarized Israel.
A Hamas coup attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, and following the Gaza war, Netanyahu seized judgment on public policy as Israelis mourned and traumatized. But when the war was prolonged, public harmony was broken.