Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is all set to take the stand for the first time in his corruption trial under a court order on Tuesday.
Charged with bribery, fraud, and breach of trust, Netanyahu will testify three times a week, the court announced, despite the ongoing Gaza war and potential new threats emerging from broader unrest in the Middle East, including neighboring Syria.
Netanyahu was indicted in 2019 in three cases involving allegations of accepting gifts from wealthy associates and seeking regulatory favors for media moguls in exchange for favorable coverage. He has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
Ahead of his court appearances, Netanyahu reignited pre-trial rhetoric against law enforcement, labeling the investigations as a “witch hunt.” He maintains his innocence and has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
“The real threat to democracy in Israel is not posed by the public’s elected representatives, but by some among the law enforcement authorities who refuse to accept the voters’ choice and are trying to carry out a coup with rabid political investigations that are unacceptable in any democracy,” he said on Thursday.
During a Monday night press conference, Netanyahu stated that he had waited eight years to share his side of the story. He also expressed outrage over the treatment of witnesses during the investigations.
(With Reuters inputs)