Netanyahu mocks prosecutor as ‘ridiculous’ and ‘provincial’ during cross-examination

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mocks prosecutor Yonatan Tadmor of the State Attorney’s Office as “ridiculous” and “provincial” as Tadmor repeatedly tries to assert that Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan was only interested in being friends with Netanyahu for the personal benefit that would accrue to him.

Netanyahu vehemently rejects this suggestion, saying, “We had a very personal, intimate relationship, a close family connection,” adding that this relationship had persisted after he became “a political corpse” following his election defeat in 1999 when he was at a “political nadir.”

Tadmor persists, saying that Milchan got benefit from being seen as close to Netanyahu, especially during a visit by the prime minister to Hollywood in 2014 and events Milchan hosted with Hollywood celebrities and Netanyahu.

“He was showing that he was connected to all points of power in Israel, and this was good for his business,” asserts Tadmor, adding that Milchan had  made similar arrangements at different times with then-foreign minister Silvan Shalom.

“That’s ridiculous. If you think that bringing a foreign minister from Israel or Austria will make an impression on Hollywood, that’s ridiculous. It’s so provincial,” scoffs Netanyahu. “Milchan has the strongest base in Hollywood, he’s the wealthiest producer in the world. He needs to bring some government clerk to increase his power? It’s such a provincial attitude.”

He insists instead that Milchan’s motive was to boost Israel’s image.

In Case 1000, Netanyahu is accused of fraud and breach of trust for allegedly having provided Milchan with various favors, while Milchan gave Netanyahu luxury goods worth hundreds of thousands of shekels.