Netanyahu’s Corruption Trial, The Prime Minister of the Zionist regime will appear in court for the third time on hearing of his corruption cases, this time to hear the statements of witnesses called to court against him.
The process will resume today (Monday) after a two-month break in the preliminary hearings on the corruption cases of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu due to the upcoming general elections in occupied Palestine.
Netanyahu pleaded not guilty in February to charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust.
The court will hear witness testimony for the first time in the case.
His trial has been delayed several times because of coronavirus-related restrictions and last month’s general election.
The trial itself was a key issue, but Netanyahu managed to win close re-election despite it.
Prosecutors told the Jerusalem District Court on Thursday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should attend the court hearings beginning next week in his corruption trial.
“The prosecution believes that there is a real reason for the defendant’s presence in the opening speech, which is the opening status of the entire prosecution case, both in terms of the defendant hearing the proceedings directly, and in terms of the perception of justice,” they said in a statement, noting that the decision was at the discretion of the court.
Netanyahu’s attorneys clarified that the prime minister plans to be in court on Monday, but does not believe it necessary for him to be present for the testimony of the first witness, Ilan Yeshua, who is part of so-called Case 4000.
Netanyahu has been charged with bribery, fraud and breach of trust in that case, which involves suspicions that he granted regulatory favors benefiting Shaul Elovitch, the controlling shareholder of Bezeq telecoms, in exchange for positive coverage of the prime minister and his family from the Bezeq-owned Walla news site. The Elovitches also face bribery charges in the case.
Yeshua was CEO of Walla at the time of the alleged crimes in Case 4000, but Netanyahu’s attorneys argue that since the two had no direct contact, the premier’s presence in the courtroom is unnecessary. Yeshua’s testimony, Netanyahu’s lawyers claim, is relevant only to the other defendants in the trial.
