Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu Begins Trial Of Corruption Cases

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu/PHOTO via Instagram @b.netanyahu

JAKARTA - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu entered the Tel Aviv court building for the first time giving testimony in a long-running corruption trial.

As reported by Reuters on Tuesday, December 10, dozens of protesters gathered outside the building, some of whom were supporters and others demanded that Netanyahu do more to negotiate the release of about 100 hostages still detained by Hamas in Gaza.

Israel has waged a war in Gaza against Palestinian militant groups for more than a year, in which Netanyahu was given a delay in starting a trial in court. But last Thursday, the judge ruled Netanyahu should start testifying.

Charged with bribery, fraud and breach of trust, Netanyahu will provide testimony three times a week, the court said, despite the war in Gaza and possible new threats posed by the wider chaos in the Middle East, including in neighboring Syria.

Netanyahu was charged in 2019 in three cases of gratification from millionaires for allegedly seeking regulatory assistance for media tycoons in exchange for favorable coverage. He denies any wrongdoing.

Ahead of his trial, Netanyahu revived rhetoric before a war that opposed law enforcement, and described his investigation as hunting for magicians. He denies the accusations and pleaded innocent.

The real threat to democracy in Israel was not posed by the elected representatives of society, but by some law enforcement officials who refused to accept voters' choice and tried to carry out a coup with a crazy and unacceptable political investigation under any circumstances. democracy, "he said some time ago.