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VOA: Netanyahu testifies in his corruption trial!

2024-12-10 17:21:23Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
VOA: Netanyahu testifies in his corruption trial!
Benjamin Netanyahu

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu testified Tuesday in his corruption trial, becoming the first sitting Israeli leader to appear in court as an accused.

His testimony is another low point in the career of Israel's longest-serving leader, who also faces an international arrest warrant on suspicion of war crimes during Israel's war in Gaza.

He is accused of accepting tens of thousands of dollars worth of cigars and champagne from a billionaire Hollywood producer in exchange for helping to advance his business and personal interests. He is also accused of approving favorable rules for media owners in exchange for positive media coverage for him and his family.

In his testimony in a packed court in Tel Aviv, Prime Minister Netanyahu said he is a dedicated leader and defender of Israel's interests, describing the charges against him  as "a drop in the ocean"  compared to the challenges he faces in defending his country.

But the allegations have deeply divided Israel and complicated Mr. Netanyahu's legacy, which is already tarnished by the war in Gaza and the increased international isolation Israel faces because of that conflict.

Mr. Netanyahu said he was able to balance his court appearances with his duties as prime minister at a time when Israel is continuing the war in Gaza and now facing the fall of Bashar al-Assad in neighboring Syria.

"I have waited eight years for this moment, to tell the truth ," Mr. Netanyahu declared, standing on stage, while his son Avner and several members of his Likud party were seated in the courtroom.

During his appearances, Mr. Netanyahu will respond to charges against him for fraud, breach of trust and bribery in three separate cases.

The 75-year-old leader denies the charges, calling them a witch hunt orchestrated by a hostile media and a biased legal system aimed at removing him from power. His testimony comes after years of scandals that have surrounded him and his family, which has earned a reputation for living a life of luxury at the taxpayers' expense.

He gave his version of events and personal details about his life, which he hopes will shape the judges' impressions of him. He said that at the beginning of his public career he was concerned about media coverage, but that he eventually realized that it mattered little, a contrast to the prosecution's portrayal of him as a man obsessed with his image.

He said he smokes cigars, but that he rarely manages to finish them completely due to the amount of work and that he hated champagne.

His lawyer Amit Hadad accused the Israeli justice system of fabricating charges in an attempt to smear Prime Minister Netanyahu.

“There has been a great effort ... to find some pieces of the puzzle that don’t connect ,” he said, as Mr. Netanyahu sat behind him.  “In court, when everything comes out, we see how unstable they are.”

The testimony, which will last six hours a day, three days a week for several weeks, will consume a large portion of Prime Minister Netanyahu's work schedule, prompting critics to question whether he can manage governing a country mired in war on one front while trying to keep an eye on other potential regional threats, including from Iran.

His lawyer requested that he be allowed to receive documents during his testimony to ensure that he continues to govern the country. At one point during the trial, Netanyahu received documents.

Critics accuse Prime Minister Netanyahu of dragging out the war in Gaza and delaying a ceasefire agreement that would allow the release of about 100 hostages still being held by militants since Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7 last year.

During his testimony in court, Mr. Netanyahu criticized the media. The case against him also involves media owners.

“There has never been such a biased media in any other democracy… as there is in Israel ,” he told the court while describing his tense relationship with the media.

During his testimony, he complained that he works 17 to 18 hours a day, engaged in meetings, especially over the last year while Israel is fighting on two fronts.

"If only I could steal five minutes to spend time with my wife ," he declared in court on Tuesday.

His testimony is being held in a fortified courtroom, underground, for security reasons. Dozens of protesters, both supporters and opponents of Mr. Netanyahu, gathered outside the court. A banner outside the court read “Crime-Minister” and both sides chanted slogans. Several families of the hostages were also present at the demonstration.

Under Israeli law, prime ministers who are indicted are not required to resign from office.

But the accusations against Mr. Netanyahu caused deep divisions in Israel.

Protesters demanded his resignation and his former political allies refused to serve in his government, triggering a political crisis that prompted five by-elections in less than four years.

His supporters see the charges as the result of bias and overreach by the justice system.

Despite calls for his resignation, Prime Minister Netanyahu has used his position as prime minister to criticize law enforcement, the media, and the courts.

Since the trial began in 2020, the court has heard prosecution witnesses in the three cases, including several of Mr. Netanyahu's former advisers who turned state witnesses.

The prosecution has attempted to portray the prime minister as a leader obsessed with his image, who broke the law to improve the public's impression of him.

His testimony could further damage his image at this difficult time. His approval ratings plummeted after the Hamas attack, while the public accused him of failing to prevent the attack.

If elections were held today, he would have a hard time forming a government.

The Israeli leader, along with his former defense minister, are facing an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes related to the war in Gaza.

The arrest warrant puts Mr. Netanyahu in the same group as Russian President Vladimir Putin and former Sudanese leader Omar al-Bashir./ VOA


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