TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — 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, turning into the primary sitting Israeli chief to take the stand as a felony 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 costs in opposition to him as a “drop in the sea” in comparison with the challenges he has confronted defending his nation.
However the fees have torn open divisions in Israel and sophisticated 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 comfortable, Netanyahu mentioned he may steadiness showing at his trial together with his duties as prime minister at a time when Israel continues to be preventing 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 mentioned, standing at a podium, together with his son Avner and a number of other members of his Likud get together seated on the courtroom benches. He mentioned his testimony would “poke holes in the absurd accusations.”
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Netanyahu will reply throughout his court docket appearances to fees of fraud, breach of belief and accepting bribes in three separate instances.
He’s accused of accepting tens of hundreds of {dollars}’ value of cigars and champagne from a billionaire Hollywood producer in trade for help with private and enterprise pursuits. He’s additionally accused of selling advantageous laws for media moguls in trade for favorable protection of himself and his household.
Netanyahu, 75, denies wrongdoing, saying the costs 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 fame 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 all sides chanted slogans. Some households of hostages held in Gaza additionally demonstrated.
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At the beginning of his testimony, a choose 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 mentioned at first 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 mentioned he smoked cigars however may 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 costs 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 mentioned, 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 conserving 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 may proceed operating the nation, and at some factors in the course of the trial, Netanyahu did.
Below Israeli regulation, indicted prime ministers aren’t required to step down. However the fees 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 costs as the results of bias and overreach by the justice system.
Regardless of the stress, Netanyahu has rejected calls to step down and has used his place as prime minister to lash out at regulation enforcement, media and courts.
An Israeli court docket rejected a request by Netanyahu’s attorneys to scale back the anticipated variety of hours of testimony, in addition to a number of different requests to delay its begin, which they mentioned have been vital due to the prime minister’s busy schedule and the nation’s vital challenges. A verdict isn’t anticipated till 2026 on the earliest and Netanyahu may have the choice to enchantment to the Supreme Courtroom.
Because the trial started in 2020, the court docket 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 regulation to enhance his public notion.
Netanyahu’s testimony may additional tarnish his picture at a sophisticated time. His common assist dropped after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, assaults, with the general public blaming his management for failing to stop the assault, and if elections have been held right this moment he would wrestle to type a authorities. Israel continues to be preventing Hamas in Gaza with no sign of ending, regardless of heavy worldwide stress to wind down the battle, in addition to stress from the households of hostages held in Gaza and their supporters to convey their family members dwelling.
The Israeli chief alongside together with his former protection minister additionally face an arrest warrant from the Worldwide Prison Courtroom for alleged battle crimes fees 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.
