2023-12-04 17:06:17
Resumption of the trial of Benjamin Netanyahu
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on October 17 in Tel Aviv. MAYA ALLERUZZO / AP
In the midst of the war against Hamas, the corruption trial of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu resumed Monday in Jerusalem, approximately two months after its suspension due to the bloody Hamas attack on October 7.
Mr. Netanyahu, 74, is being prosecuted for corruption, fraud and breach of trust in three cases, charges he denies. The head of government is suspected of having tried to secure favorable coverage from the news site Walla ! in return for government favors that may have brought hundreds of millions of dollars to Shaul Elovitch, who headed Israel’s main telecommunications group, Bezeq, and Walla !.
In another case, he is suspected of having received large quantities of gifts worth around 700,000 shekels (around 175,000 euros) from wealthy personalities. Among his alleged benefactors, Israeli Hollywood mogul Arnon Milchan, producer of Brazil, JFK, Pretty Woman et Born killers notably. Mr. Netanyahu is suspected of having in return promoted a tax provision that would have brought millions of dollars to Mr. Milchan. However, the Israeli Finance Ministry vetoed it.
The Prime Minister claims to have only accepted gifts from friends, without having requested them, and considers himself the victim of a witch hunt. He will not be called to the stand immediately, but could appear in a few months, according to the Israeli press. His trial, which began in 2020, is unprecedented for a sitting prime minister.
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