Already a subscriber? Make sure to log into your account before viewing this content. You can access your account by hitting the “login” button on the top right corner. Still unable to see the content after signing in? Make sure your card on file is up-to-date.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to take the stand in his corruption trial next week after attempts to delay his participation due to the ongoing war in Gaza.
Let’s bring you up to speed: Back in 2020, Prime Minister Netanyahu was formally indicted in three separate corruption cases. He faces charges of fraud, breach of trust, and bribery, with accusations centered on leveraging his position of power for personal and political gain. In one case, dubbed “Case 1000,” Netanyahu is accused of accepting lavish gifts such as expensive cigars and champagne from wealthy donors in exchange for political favors. In “Case 2000,” he allegedly negotiated with a prominent newspaper publisher to weaken a rival publication in return for more favorable coverage. The most serious allegation, “Case 4000,” accuses him of pushing regulatory benefits worth hundreds of millions of dollars to a telecom giant in exchange for favorable news coverage on its associated media platform. Netanyahu has denied all charges, claiming they are baseless and part of a politically motivated “witch hunt” orchestrated by the police and state prosecution to undermine his leadership.
What’s going on now: Despite attempts to push back his testimony due to security concerns and his responsibilities during Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza and Lebanon, the Israeli court has ordered Netanyahu to begin testifying in his corruption trial on December 10, 2024. Judges from the Jerusalem District Court, citing security assessments, decided to move the proceedings to a fortified underground courtroom in Tel Aviv, addressing risks posed by potential attacks at the original venue. Netanyahu’s defense team had argued for further delays, pointing to his inability to prepare amid his wartime duties and inadequate security measures at the Jerusalem courthouse.
Ultimately, the court rejected these arguments, noting that security agencies, including the Shin Bet, had deemed the new location secure. The court has set a schedule requiring Netanyahu to appear three days a week, for approximately six hours each day, in a session expected to last several weeks.
If found guilty, Netanyahu could face significant prison time. The bribery charges, considered the most serious, carry a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison and substantial fines under Israeli law. Convictions for fraud and breach of trust, which are also serious offenses, could add up to three additional years of imprisonment. A conviction would also likely end his political career, as Israeli law typically requires ministers convicted of serious crimes to resign.
