Netanyahu's Corruption Trial Resumes as Middle East Tensions Rise
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to testify in court on Tuesday as his long-standing corruption trial resumes. This marks his first courtroom appearance despite ongoing conflict in Gaza and heightened instability across the Middle East, including threats from neighboring Syria, according to Reuters.
Netanyahu, who faces charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust, will testify three times a week as part of the legal proceedings. The trial, delayed for over a year due to the war with Hamas, centers on allegations that Netanyahu accepted lavish gifts from wealthy associates and sought regulatory favors from media moguls in exchange for favorable coverage. The prime minister has denied all charges, pleading not guilty.
Ahead of his appearance, Netanyahu labeled the trial a “witch hunt” aimed at undermining democracy. “The real threat to democracy in Israel is not posed by the public's elected representatives but by elements within law enforcement who refuse to accept the voters' choice and are trying to orchestrate a coup with rabid political investigations,” he said during a press conference on Monday night.
Netanyahu also criticized the handling of witnesses and expressed frustration over delays in presenting his defense, claiming he had waited eight years to share his side of the story.
The trial has intensified divisions within Israel, exacerbated by his government’s controversial judicial overhaul efforts. The shocking Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, and the ensuing war initially pushed Netanyahu's legal troubles out of the spotlight. However, political unity has since fractured, with cabinet members clashing with the judiciary over the trial.
At 75, Netanyahu is Israel's longest-serving prime minister and the first sitting leader to face criminal charges. His legal challenges deepened last month when the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant against him and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes in Gaza.
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