The headline news in Israel is the beginning of the trial of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who gave testimony in his defense in court today, Dec.10. He has four indictments against him, including three counts of corruption which include bribery, fraud, and breach of trust. While today he gave defense testimony under questioning by his own defense lawyer, tomorrow he will be questioned by prosecutors. Netanyahu gave testimony as if he were at a political rally or before a jury and not before a panel of professional judges (there are no juries in the Israeli system).
In typical Netanyahu fashion he depicted himself as a victim of the “leftwing media” in Israel who do not appreciate how much he loves Israel, works 18 hours a day, and therefore has no time to be corrupt.
He claimed, “If I were holding left-wing views, I would not have been suspected of criminal offenses or indicted.” Claiming all the charges to be “ridiculous,” he even criticized the decision of the judges’ panel for refusing to reduce the days he is to testify each week. “I am leading a country at war on seven fronts,” he said. “A tectonic shift not seen in a century has occurred. That demands balancing the needs of the trial, which I recognize, and the needs of the country.” He did not mention committing genocide in Gaza.
