As Netanyahu begins 5th day of testimony, prosecutors reassert confidence in charges

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu begins his fifth day of testimony in his criminal trial, starting early at 9 a.m. due to his need to be in the Knesset today before 4 p.m. — when the court usually ends its sessions.

Before the hearing begins, the State Attorney’s Office publishes a statement saying it stands behind the indictment, despite the judges of the Jerusalem District Court expressing skepticism last week that Netanyahu was involved in many of the incidents in which prosecutors allege he demanded and received favorable press coverage from the Walla news website in a quid pro quo with its owner.

The State Attorney’s Office says that even if Netanyahu wasn’t directly involved in making the requests, he had general knowledge of such demands and the framework within which they were being made.

“All the demands included in the appendix [of the indictment] originated with defendant no. 1 [Netanyahu] and his family, together and separately, and he was aware of all of them — direct and concrete awareness or general awareness,” the State Attorney’s Office says.

“The claims of the defense contradict claims that it has raised in the past,” the prosecutors continue, adding that it is “obvious” that the State Attorney’s Office never claimed that Netanyahu knew of every specific demand to Walla, stating that “the indictment attributes to defendant no. 1 general awareness that the demands were being made.”