Prosecutors rest case in Netanyahu trial; PM to kick off defense portion on Dec. 2
Corruption trial, in which PM is charged of bribery, fraud and breach of trust, is on pace to last until 2028 or 2029
The prosecution rested its case Wednesday in the corruption trial of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, wrapping up its witness testimonies in Case 4000, the most serious of the three cases being deliberated.
The premier is on trial for bribery, fraud and breach of trust in Case 4000, on allegations that he authorized regulatory decisions to benefit a telecommunications tycoon in exchange for more favorable media coverage on a news outlet owned by the businessman.
The announcement by the prosecution at the Jerusalem District Court formally ended its portion of the trial, some three weeks after the final witness, former Shin Bet chief Tamir Pardo, finished testifying, and more than four years after proceedings began.
The prosecution was meant to rest about two weeks ago, but disputes emerged, Haaretz reported, over statements previously made to police by witnesses who were not ultimately called to the stand.
The defense portion of the trial is currently set to begin in December, kicking off with testimony by Netanyahu himself.
The trial opened in May 2020 and, as things stand, is seen as unlikely to end before 2028 or 2029, including potential appeals.
Case 4000, also known as the Bezeq-Walla case, focuses on allegations that Netanyahu authorized regulatory decisions that financially benefited Bezeq telecommunications giant shareholder Shaul Elovitch by hundreds of millions of shekels.
In return, Netanyahu allegedly received favorable media coverage from the Walla news site, also owned by Elovitch.
Netanyahu also faces fraud and breach of trust charges in two other cases. One, Case 2000, concerns allegations Netanyahu tried to obtain positive media coverage in the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper in exchange for legislation curtailing its competitor, Israel Hayom. In the other, Case 1000, prosecutors say Netanyahu inappropriately received expensive gifts from billionaire benefactors.
Netanyahu denies any wrongdoing in the cases against him and claims that the charges were fabricated in a witch hunt led by the police and state prosecution, and facilitated by a weak attorney general.
