Israel's Netanyahu appears in court for first time in corruption trial

Benjamin Netanyahu has become the first sitting Israeli prime minister to appear in court as a criminal defendant, more than four years after his trial on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust began.

The 75-year-old maintains his innocence, arguing that the three separate cases against him are politically motivated, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.

In a Tel Aviv courtroom on Tuesday, Netanyahu called the accusations "an ocean of absurdness".

Speaking at a press conference the previous evening, Netanyahu described the corruption trial as a “political hunt”, which had “ruined the lives of dozens of people” caught up in it.

Many of Netanyahu’s ministers and political allies came to court on Tuesday to show him their support, with Likud politician Amit Halevi calling the trial an anti-Netanyahu “hate crime”.

“Don’t be impressed by the morning headlines in the newspapers, even dead fish would be ashamed if they were wrapped in them,” the backbencher said.

Meanwhile, speaking on the eve of Netanyahu's testimony, Netanyahu’s political opponents said the prime minister had repeatedly undermined his country in a bid to protect himself from prosecution.

“Every trick and stunt Netanyahu tried to do to prevent his trial failed, and he will also fail the test of the trial itself. Israel will win,” said Yair Golan, the chairman of the Democrats party.

The corruption trial has been postponed multiple times, first because of the COVID-19 pandemic and more recently because of the war in Gaza.

However, an Israeli court rejected Netanyahu’s latest request for a delay because of security concerns. He will now have to testify three days a week, at a time when Israel is busy waging its war in Gaza, handling a fragile ceasefire with Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon and grappling with the fall of the Assad regime in neighbouring Syria.

The corruption case has long divided Israel, as was demonstrated by the dozens of Netanyahu supporters and critics who gathered outside the courthouse on Tuesday to express their opposing views.

News.Az