Prosecution begins cross-examination of Netanyahu at criminal trial

The prosecution’s cross-examination of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in his criminal trial on corruption charges begins this morning in the Tel Aviv District Court, after a lengthy direct examination by his defense team and five years after the trial began.

Attorney Yehonatan Tadmor of the State Attorney’s Office begins the cross-examination with questions on Case 1000, in which Netanyahu is accused of fraud and breach of trust for allegedly accepting luxury gifts worth hundreds of thousands of shekels from Hollywood mogul Arnon Milchan and Australian billionaire James Packer, and doing various favors for Milchan in return.

Judge Rivka Friedman-Feldman, who heads the three-judge panel presiding over the case, reminds the prime minister of his obligation to tell the truth when responding to the prosecutors’ questions.

Tadmor begins with questions about the period when Netanyahu was first called by the police for questioning regarding Case 1000 in 2016.

Tadmor asks Netanyahu if he prepared for the police questioning, and specifically if he knew it was connected to his relationship with wealthy businessmen, and his receipt of valuable gifts from them.

Netanyahu says he remembers that the issue of his relationship with the businessmen came up in his preparation for questioning, adding, “I don’t do favors for businessmen.”

Tadmor asks the prime minister about a list of 10 businessmen which had been drawn up by the prime minister’s lawyers in connection with the upcoming police questioning, and questions Netanyahu as to whether he knew he would be questioned about his relationship with Milchan and Packer.

“I don’t remember. I thought the whole ridiculous thing began because of an article by Gidi Weitz. It’s persecution,” says Netanyahu, referring to a Haaretz journalist who reported on the prime minister’s connections to Milchan at the time.