Judges presiding over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s trial informed prosecutors that they would struggle to prove bribery in the corruption charge in which the Likud party chairman is accused of trading favors with a powerful media mogul, Hebrew-language Channel 13 reported Thursday evening.
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Netanyahu has been charged with fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in three corruption cases. One of them, popularly known as Case 4000, alleges that Netanyahu promoted regulations worth hundreds of millions of dollars for the owner of the Bezeq telecom company, Shaul Elovitch, in exchange for positive coverage on its popular Walla! news site.
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrives at Rishon LeZion Magistrate's Court
(Photo: Reuben Castro )
Even if the bribery charge is dropped, Netanyahu still has to contend with charges of fraud and breach of trust in Case 4000, as well as two other graft cases.
Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving leader, denies any wrongdoing and says the charges against him amount to a witch hunt. He and his supporters may view this latest turn of events as lending credence to his claims.
Last week, in an unusual move, Netanyahu’s team and prosecutors in Case 4000 met for a closed-door meeting at the judges' chambers. This was the second meeting held by the judges with the parties involved in the past few months, likely with the intention of moving proceedings to mediation.
In light of the reports, Attorney General Gali Baharav Miara said that she would oppose such a move and would advise Netanyahu's attorneys to engage in direct negotiations regarding a plea bargain, but within the framework of the regular judicial process.
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appearing in Jerusalem District Court in February 2020 he pleaded not guilty to corruption charges
(Photo: AFP)
Former Justice MInister Gideon Sa'ar also called on prosecutors to negotiate a plea deal.
"During my tenure as Minister of Justice, I avoided referring to the possibility of a plea deal in the Netanyahu trial. This, out of respect for the independence of the General Prosecutor's Office in matters dedicated to its professional discretion. My position has long been that it is right, considering all the considerations, to end Netanyahu's trial with a plea agreement. Now it is appropriate for the prosecution to listen to the court's messages and show readiness for such a negotiation. The public interest in its broadest sense is to end this long-standing saga with a plea agreement," he said.
Prosecutors have faced a major setback as inconsistencies were discovered in the testimony of a crucial witness and former close aide to Netanyahu during cross-examination.
Netanyahu's defense team contends that the bribery charges in the case are disputable, while the prosecution maintains that the case remains solid and bribery can still be proven.
The evidential stage of Netanyahu's trial opened in April 2021, and numerous hearings have taken place since, with only a fraction of the witnesses having testified.
This is not the first time the option of a settlement has been raised. In January of last year, Netanyahu met with his lawyers for intense consultations regarding a potential plea deal.
Close associates of Netanyahu at the time indicated that there were differences in negotiations with then-Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit.
First published: 21:44, 06.22.23