OHAD ZWIGENBERGPOOLAFP
Benjamin Netanyahu, the first sitting prime minister of Israel to face a criminal trial, is expected to testify for the first time when his corruption case resumes Tuesday.
Netanyahu has repeatedly sought to delay his appearance in court, where he faces charges of bribery, fraud and breach of public trust in three separate cases.
At Tuesday's hearing, the Israeli premier is expected to take the witness stand for the first time, responding to the allegations and testimonies made against him, including from former close aides.
The last time he physically appeared in the courtroom was in June 2023.
Netanyahu said at a press conference Monday evening, "I will speak in court. I am not running away. "
"It has been eight years that I have waited for this day, eight years of wanting to present the truth, eight years waiting to completely demolish these absurd and baseless accusations against me," the premier declared, again denouncing what he called a "relentless witch hunt".
For security reasons, the trial has been moved from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv, where Netanyahu will testify in an underground chamber.
The trial has been ongoing since May 2020 and is scheduled to last several months, with an appeals process that could further prolong matters.
The prime minister, who filed multiple requests to delay the proceedings based on the wars in Gaza and Lebanon, denies any wrongdoing.
In the first case, Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, are accused of accepting more than $260,000 worth of luxury goods, such as cigars, jewellery and champagne, from billionaire benefactors in exchange for political favours.
Among the alleged benefactors are Israeli-born Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan and Australian business executive James Packer.
The other two cases allege that Netanyahu attempted to negotiate more favourable coverage in two Israeli media outlets.
One involves alleged attempts by the prime minister to reach a deal with Arnon Mozes, publisher of the popular Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth, for better coverage by agreeing to weaken the status of a rival daily newspaper.
The other alleges that Netanyahu received favourable coverage on the popular news website Walla, owned by his close friend Shaul Elovitch, in exchange for smoothing the way for a telecoms merger sought by Elovitch.
Since returning to power in late 2022, Netanyahu's coalition government has clashed with the country's judiciary and law enforcement officials and sparked mass protests by trying to advance legislation that would weaken the courts.
Netanyahu's critics insist the legal cases and hearings so far will finally serve justice to a highly corrupt politician who will do anything to stay in power.
They also accuse the prime minister of intentionally prolonging the 14-month conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon to evade justice.
© Agence France-Presse
