Court briefly cleared as Netanyahu arrives in court for trial

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrives at Jerusalem’s District Court to participate in a closed-session hearing in his ongoing corruption trial.

This is the third day in a row that Netanyahu is attending the court hearing, in which Hollywood mogul Arnon Milchan is testifying that he provided lavish gifts to the prime minister and his wife, and requested Netanyahu’s help with tax and visa issues.

Defense lawyers ask to clear the courtroom shortly before Netanyahu’s arrival at the Jerusalem District Court, claiming that they wanted to question Milchan about sensitive security events.

Anticipating Netanyahu at the courthouse, police had asked local Palestinian businesses to temporarily shutter.

Moe Tahhan, owner of East Jerusalem’s Sawra Street Cafe, says that his restaurant — sitting across the street from the District Court — was also asked by police to close when the prime minister arrived yesterday.

Tahhan confirms that he was not offered compensation for the closure.