A dramatic turn unfolded Wednesday in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ongoing corruption trial, as judges challenged prosecutors on key elements of the charges in the "Bezeq-Walla Affair," popularly known as Case 4000.
The case alleges that Netanyahu, during his time as prime minister, granted regulatory benefits to telecom giant Bezeq in exchange for favorable media coverage on the Walla news site, both owned by businessman Shaul Elovitch.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Tel Aviv District Court
(Video: GPO)
During the hearing, Netanyahu reiterated his claim that he was unaware of any specific requests for media coverage made by his associates. However, the judges pressed prosecutors to clarify allegations of Netanyahu’s involvement or knowledge, with Presiding Judge Rivka Friedman-Feldman questioning inconsistencies in the indictment.
Prosecutors argued that Netanyahu was generally aware of a pattern of systematic requests, even if he was not involved in every specific instance, but judges demanded evidence to support this claim.
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Judge Oded Shaham, considered more lenient toward the prosecution, expressed concern about the lack of explicit references to Netanyahu's awareness in parts of the indictment. Prosecutor Yehudit Tirosh requested time to review materials and potentially revise their approach.
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Tel Aviv District Court
(Photo: Miriam Elster/Flash90)
The indictment includes a detailed appendix listing 315 instances of alleged media requests as the basis for the bribery and breach of trust charges. However, if prosecutors fail to establish Netanyahu’s direct knowledge or involvement, as many as 80 to 140 instances could be removed from consideration, potentially undermining up to 50% of the case.
Adding complexity, Netanyahu's defense lawyer, Amit Hadad, announced that Sara Netanyahu, the prime minister's wife, would not testify as a defense witness. Her absence could impact both Case 4000 and another case involving allegations of accepting expensive gifts (Case 1000).
Sara Netanyahu’s testimony could have bolstered the prosecution’s claims regarding her communications with Elovitch’s associates, but her testimony was also critical for the defense’s argument that gifts received from businessman Arnon Milchan’s wife, Amanda, were part of a reciprocal relationship.
Next week, the trial will continue with further discussions on Netanyahu’s alleged awareness of media requests and preparations for defense witnesses. A canceled hearing has been rescheduled in Jerusalem without Netanyahu’s attendance, focusing on procedural issues.