AFP, Reuters and The Independent
La Jornada Newspaper
Wednesday, December 11, 2024, p. 21
Tel Aviv. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday became the first sitting ruler to testify as a defendant in a criminal case, saying he is harassed because his policies do not align with a push for a Palestinian state.
At the start of his appearance to answer charges of fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in three separate cases, Netanyahu, 75, said he had been waiting for this moment for eight years.
I am leading Israel through a seven-front war and I believe the two things can be done in parallelThe president added defiantly before the three-judge court, as his country is embroiled in a conflict in Gaza and faces new threats posed by regional unrest, including Syria.
Prosecutors accuse the premier of accepting tens of thousands of dollars worth of cigars and champagne from a Hollywood producer, as well as granting $500 million worth of regulatory favors to Bezeq Telecom Israel (BEZQ.TA) in exchange for positive coverage. of himself and his wife, Sara, on a news website controlled by the company’s former president.
He is also accused of negotiating an agreement with the newspaper’s owner. Yedioth Ahronoth in order to get better coverage in exchange for legislation to curb the growth of a rival newspaper.
The leader of the right-wing party, Likud, also rejected the accusations against him and pleaded not guilty; In addition, he attacked the media for what he called his leftist stance.
His lawyer, Amit Hadad, denounced in a preliminary statement that Israeli police investigators They are not investigating a crime, but a manand compared this behavior to Stalin’s Soviet Union, reported The Times of Israel.
Last week, judges ruled that Netanyahu, who has faced these accusations since 2019, must testify three times a week, forcing the veteran Israeli leader to juggle between the courtroom and the defense ministry’s war room, which is located minutes away.
