Benjamin Netanyahu’s trial resumes
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on October 17 in Tel Aviv. MAYA ALLERUZZO / AP
Amid the war against Hamas, the corruption trial of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu resumed in Jerusalem on Monday, some two months after it was suspended due to the bloody Hamas attack on October 7.
Mr. Netanyahu, 74, is charged with three counts of corruption, fraud and breach of trust, allegations he denies. The head of government is suspected of trying to get positive coverage from the news site Walla! to secure. in return for government favors that may have earned hundreds of millions of dollars for Shaul Elovitch, head of Israel’s leading telecommunications conglomerate Bezeq and Walla!.
In another case, he is suspected of having received large amounts of gifts worth around 700,000 shekels (around 175,000 euros) from wealthy personalities. His alleged patrons notably included Israeli Hollywood mogul Arnon Milchan, producer of Brazil, JFK, Pretty Woman and Born Killers. Mr. Netanyahu is suspected of having promoted a tax scheme in return that would have brought in millions of dollars for Mr. Milchan. However, the Israeli Finance Ministry vetoed the proposal.
The Prime Minister claims that he only accepted gifts from friends without being asked and sees himself as the victim of a witch hunt. According to the Israeli press, he will not be called to the witness stand immediately but could appear in a few months. His trial, which began in 2020, is unprecedented for a sitting prime minister.