Netanyahu takes the stand in long-running corruption trial
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took the stand on Tuesday in his long-running trial for alleged corruption, setting off what맥스카지노s expected to be a weekslong spectacle that will draw unwelcome attention to his legal woes as he faces an international arrest warrant for war crimes and the fighting in Gaza continues.
It is the first time a sitting Israeli prime minister takes the stand as a criminal defendant, an embarrassing milestone for a leader who has tried to cultivate an image as a sophisticated and respected statesman.
Upon starting his testimony, Netanyahu said 맥스카지노hello맥스카지노 to the judges. One judge told him he had the same privileges as other witnesses and could sit or stand as he chose.
맥스카지노I waited eight years for this moment, to say the truth,맥스카지노 Netanyahu said, standing at a podium in a packed Tel Aviv courtroom. He called the charges against him 맥스카지노an ocean of absurdness맥스카지노 and promised his version would cut through the prosecution's case.
Netanyahu appeared at ease as he began telling his version of events and shared personal details about his life that he might hope would shape the judges맥스카지노 perception of him. He said he used to lose sleep over media coverage but learned it had no meaningful bearing 맥스카지노 in contrast to the prosecution's attempts to paint him as image-obsessed.
He said he smoked cigars but could hardly finish them because of his workload, but hated champagne. One case revolves around him receiving a 맥스카지노supply line맥스카지노 of cigars and champagne from billionaire associates.
His lawyer asked that he be allowed to receive notes while testifying to help ensure he can continue running the country.
Netanyahu will answer during his court appearances to charges of fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in three separate cases.
He is accused of accepting tens of thousands of dollars맥스카지노 worth of cigars and champagne from in exchange for assisting him with personal and business interests. He is also accused of promoting advantageous regulation for media moguls in exchange for favorable coverage of himself and his family.
Netanyahu, 75, 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. His testimony caps years of scandals that have swirled around him and his family.
The testimony, set to take place six hours a day, three days a week for several weeks, will take up a significant chunk of Netanyahu맥스카지노s 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 Assad in Syria.
Netanyahu, in his testimony, said he could 맥스카지노find a balance맥스카지노 between both commitments.
Dozens of people gathered outside of 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: 맥스카지노Crime Minister."
Under Israeli law, indicted prime ministers are not required to step down. But the charges against Netanyahu cleaved deep divisions in Israel, with protesters demanding he resign and former political allies refusing to serve in government with the Israeli leader, triggering beginning in 2019.
Netanyahu's supporters view the charges as the result of the justice system맥스카지노s bias and overreach.
Despite the pressure, the polarizing Netanyahu has rejected calls to step down and has used his position as prime minister to lash out at law enforcement, media and courts.
An Israeli court rejected a request by Netanyahu맥스카지노s lawyers to reduce the expected testimony hours, as well as several , which they said were necessary because of the prime minister맥스카지노s busy schedule and the country's significant challenges. A verdict isn맥스카지노t expected until 2026 at the earliest and Netanyahu will have the option to appeal at the Supreme Court.
The court has spent months hearing prosecution witnesses in the three cases, including some of Netanyahu맥스카지노s once closest aides who turned state witnesses. The prosecution has tried to portray the prime minister as an image-obsessed leader who broke the law to improve his public perception.
The most damaging case against Netanyahu involves an influence-peddling scandal in which two of his formerly closest aides have testified against him on suspicions of promoting regulation worth hundreds of millions of dollars to Israel맥스카지노s Bezeq telecom company. In return, Bezeq맥스카지노s popular news site, Walla, allegedly provided favorable coverage of Netanyahu and his family.
Netanyahu is also alleged to have offered a newspaper publisher legislation that would weaken his paper맥스카지노s main rival in return for more favorable coverage.
Moreover, the prime minister is accused of accepting nearly $200,000 in champagne and cigars from Hollywood producer and in exchange, he allegedly operated on Milchan맥스카지노s behalf on U.S. visa matters, tried to legislate a generous tax break for him and sought to promote his interests in the Israeli media market.
Netanyahu맥스카지노s testimony could further tarnish his image at a complicated time for Israel맥스카지노s longest-serving leader. His popular support dropped after Hamas맥스카지노 Oct. 7, 2023, attacks, with the public blaming his leadership for failing to prevent the assault, and if elections were held today he would struggle to form a government. Israel is still fighting Hamas in Gaza with no end in sight, despite heavy international pressure to wind down the war, as well as pressure from the families of hostages held in Gaza and their supporters to bring their loved ones home.
The Israeli leader, along with his former defense minister, also faces an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court for war crimes charges related to the war in Gaza. While Netanyahu likes to think of himself as a distinguished global statesman, the warrant puts him in the same company as Russian President Vladimir Putin and former Sudanese leader Omar al-Bashir.