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On Monday, the prime minister appeared before a Jerusalem court to answer the serious accusation of corruption, writes the Israeli newspaper Haaretz.
Images from the courtroom show Benjamin Netanyahu with a black face and surrounded by lawyers and security guards.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pleaded not guilty when he appeared in court in Jerusalem on Monday. He is accused of fraud and taking bribes.
Photo: Pool / Reuters
The prime minister denied taking bribes when he was given the floor, writes the Reuters news agency. He denies any blame and believes that the accusations against him are politically motivated.
Netanyahu is the first acting prime minister in Israel’s history to appear in court as a defendant.
Expensive gifts
Benjamin Netanyahu is charged with bribery, fraud and breach of trust in three separate cases
One case concerns the Prime Minister and his family, who are said to have received exclusive gifts. The value must exceed 2 million crowns.
Gifts received include expensive jewelry, champagne, and exclusive cigars.
Australian billionaire James Packer is said to have given the prime minister and his wife exclusive gifts, according to the Israeli prosecutor.
Photo: Greg Wood / AFP
The gifts are presented by Australian billionaire James Packer and Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan. The remuneration must have been a political and economic service that must have given them commercial advantages.
Positive media coverage
Benjamin Netanyahu is said to have signed an agreement with the owner of the leading Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, Arnon Mozes, to gain positive media coverage.
In return, it would put political obstacles in the way of rival newspaper Israel Hayom.
Netanyahu is also said to have negotiated with Shaul Elovich, one of the main owners of the Israeli telecommunications giant Bezeq. Under the agreement between them, the prime minister was to receive positive coverage in his online newspaper Walla. In return, he is said to have promised Bezeq favorable terms.
Trust abuse, fraud and bribery
In October 2019, Israel’s Attorney General brought charges against Netanyahu for breach of trust, fraud and accepting bribes.
Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit has issued a corruption indictment against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Photo: Ammar Awad / Reuters
On November 26, 2019, Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit said that he had extended the indictment against Netanyahu to three criminal offenses.
The cases against him should have started in March of the following year, but have since been postponed several times, first at the request of defenders, then as a result of the crown pandemic.
The three co-defendants in the case also denied criminal guilt when they appeared in court on Monday, NTB writes.
This applies to the publisher of the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, Arnon Mozes and Iris and Shaul Elovitch, who previously owned the Bezeq company and its online newspaper Walla.
“Bibi go to jail”
Outside the courthouse, protesters gathered with drums and trumpets.
Slogans such as “Bibi disappears” and “Bibi goes to jail” rang out. Bibi is Netanyahu’s nickname in Israel.
Protesters outside the courtroom demand the resignation of the prime minister. One of the protesters was wearing a Netanyahu mask and prison uniform.
Photo: Maya Alleruzzo / AP
The protesters in front of the courtroom in Jerusalem have no doubts.
– We believe that Benjamin Netanyahu, our Prime Minister, should be brought to justice like all other citizens. He has escaped the judiciary for too long, Efrat Safran told the Associated Press.
Safran is an activist in the movement who calls himself “Research Now”.
“I hope you can listen to us,” said one of the protesters, Tali Etzion, 60.
For the past seven months, there have been regular demonstrations outside the prime minister’s residence in Jerusalem, demanding Netanyahu’s departure, the Associated Press writes.
There have been several demonstrations against Netanyahu in recent years. These photos are from a demo on July 21, 2020.
Photo: Menahem Kahana / AFP
