Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took the stand for the first time on Tuesday in the district court in Tel Aviv on charges of alleged corruption, bribery, fraud, and breach of trust.
Dozens of protesters stood outside the court before Netanyahu arrived at 8:00 a.m. (GMT), some of them in support of the prime minister and others demanding the release of around 100 hostages Hamas is currently holding in Gaza.
The court has ordered Netanyahu to testify three times a week notwithstanding Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza war and its continued bombing of Damascus, Syria, after Sunday’s overthrow of Bashar Al-Assad’s regime by opposition forces.
The case, which has been postponed several times, involves Netanyahu’s 2019 indictment on allegedly accepting bribes from billionaire Hollywood producers in the form of expensive cigars and champagne bottles worth tens of thousands of dollars in exchange for assisting them with personal and business interests.
Netanyahu was also indicted for allegedly seeking regulatory favors from media tycoons in return for favorable coverage. If Israel’s Prime Minister is found guilty, he could face up to 10 years in prison, Al Jazeera reported.
Netanyahu, who still has five years left in his term as PM, has denied any wrongdoing and claims he is the victim of a political “witch-hunt” to remove him from office.
Netanyahu is one of Israel’s most right-wing and religiously conservative leaders in Israel’s 74-year history. He is the longest-serving president, having led the country for a total of 17 years. He held office from 1996 to 1999 and from 2009 to 2021 and was most recently reelected in 2022.