Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defiantly promised on Tuesday to drop corruption allegations against him as he began testifying in his long-running trial, becoming the first Israeli leader to stand as a criminal defendant.
This testimony represents another weakness for Israel’s longest-serving president, who also faces an international arrest warrant for war crimes in Israel’s war in Gaza.
In his opening testimony in a crowded Tel Aviv courtroom, Netanyahu said he was a loyal leader and defender of Israel’s interests, and dropped the charges against him, describing them as a “drop in the bucket” compared to the challenges he faced in protecting his country. .
But the accusations have created open divisions in Israel and complicated Netanyahu’s legacy, which has also been tarnished by the conflict in Gaza and the increasing international isolation that Israel faces because of it.
Netanyahu, who spoke freely and appeared at ease, said he could balance appearances at his trial with his duties as prime minister at a time when Israel is still locked in a conflict in Gaza and faces the fall of Bashar al-Assad in neighboring Syria.
“I have waited eight years for this moment to tell the truth,” Netanyahu said, standing on the podium, with his son Avner and a number of Likud Party members who sat on the courtroom benches. He said his testimony would “poke holes in the ridiculous accusations.”
During his appearance in court, Netanyahu will respond to charges of fraud, breach of trust, and accepting bribes in three separate cases.
He is accused of accepting tens of thousands of dollars in cigars and champagne from a billionaire Hollywood producer in exchange for assistance with personal and business interests. He is also accused of promoting beneficial systems to media moguls in exchange for positive coverage of him and his family.
Netanyahu, 75, denies any wrongdoing and says the charges are a witch hunt organized by a hostile media and a biased legal system aimed at overthrowing his long rule. His testimony culminates years of scandal surrounding him and his family, who had gained a reputation for enjoying a lavish lifestyle at taxpayers’ expense.
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Netanyahu’s testimony is taking place in a fortified underground courtroom for security reasons. Outside the courtroom, dozens of demonstrators gathered, both Netanyahu supporters and opponents. A banner was raised outside reading “Minister of Crime” while each party chanted slogans. Some families of hostages held in Gaza also demonstrated.
At the beginning of his testimony, the judge told Netanyahu that he had the same privileges as other witnesses and could sit or stand as he pleased.
Netanyahu told his version of events and shared personal details about his life that he perhaps hoped would shape the judges’ perception of him. He said at the beginning of his career in public service that he was concerned about media coverage, but learned that it had no meaningful impact, contrary to prosecutors’ attempts to paint him as image-obsessed.
He said he used to smoke cigars but could barely finish them because of his workload, and he hated champagne.
Before the testimony began, Netanyahu’s lawyer, Amit Haddad, accused the Israeli judicial system of fabricating charges in an attempt to frame Netanyahu.
“There has been a huge effort… to find a few pieces of the puzzle that are not connected to each other,” Haddad said as Netanyahu took a seat behind him. “In court, in broad daylight, we see everything falling apart.”
The testimony, which is scheduled to take place six hours a day, three days a week for several weeks, will consume a large portion of Netanyahu’s work hours, prompting critics to question whether he can manage a country embroiled in a conflict on one front, containing the repercussions of the second moment, And monitor other potential regional threats, including Iranian threats.
His lawyer asked to be allowed to take notes during his testimony to help ensure his ability to continue running the country, and at some moments during the trial, Netanyahu did so.
Under Israeli law, accused prime ministers are not required to step down. But the charges against Netanyahu have deeply divided Israel, with protesters demanding his resignation and his former political allies refusing to serve in government with the Israeli leader, sparking a political crisis that led to five elections in less than four years starting in 2019.
Netanyahu’s supporters believe that these accusations are the result of bias and overreach by the judicial system.
Despite the pressure, Netanyahu has rejected calls to step down and has used his position as prime minister to attack law enforcement, the media and the courts.
An Israeli court rejected a request by Netanyahu’s lawyers to reduce the expected number of hours of testimony, as well as several other requests to delay its start, which they said were necessary because of the prime minister’s busy schedule and the significant challenges facing the country. The ruling is not expected until 2026 at the earliest, and Netanyahu will have the option of appealing to the Supreme Court.
Since the start of the trial in 2020, the court has heard from prosecution witnesses in the three cases, including some of Netanyahu’s closest aides who have become state witnesses. The prosecution tried to portray the Prime Minister as an image-obsessed leader who violated the law to improve his public perception.
Netanyahu’s testimony may further tarnish his image at a complicated time. His popular support declined after the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, as the public blamed his leadership for failing to prevent the attack, and if elections were held today he would have difficulty forming a government. Israel is still fighting Hamas in Gaza with no end in sight, despite intense international pressure to end the conflict, as well as pressure from the families and supporters of hostages held in Gaza to bring their loved ones home.
The Israeli leader and his former defense minister also face an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court on charges of alleged war crimes related to the Gaza conflict. The arrest warrant puts Netanyahu in the same company as Russian President Vladimir Putin and former Sudanese leader Omar al-Bashir.
