Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared before the District Court in Tel Aviv to answer corruption charges against him, marking his 88th court appearance in the ongoing trial, reports Anadolu.

Israel’s Channel 12 said the judges approved cutting today’s hearing due to Netanyahu’s “security and political agenda,” without giving further details.

Today’s hearing focused on Case 2000 after his questioning in Cases 1000 and 4000 was completed.

Netanyahu faces charges of corruption, bribery and breach of trust in three cases known as Cases 1000, 2000 and 4000, with indictments filed in late November 2019.

Case 1000 centers on allegations that Netanyahu and members of his family received expensive gifts from wealthy businessmen in exchange for favors and assistance in various fields.

In Case 2000, Netanyahu allegedly negotiated with Arnon Mozes, publisher of the daily Yedioth Ahronoth, for favorable media coverage.

Case 4000 involves allegations that Netanyahu gave regulatory favors to Shaul Elovitch, the former owner of the Israeli site. of Walla news and a senior executive at telecommunications company Bezeq, in exchange for positive coverage.

Since the start of his trial in 2020, Netanyahu has refused to plead guilty, describing the charges as a “political campaign aimed at bringing him down.” According to Israeli law, the president cannot grant a pardon if the defendant does not admit the violation.

In addition to the domestic corruption trial, Netanyahu is also wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) since 2024 for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in the Gaza Strip, where more than 72 thousand people have been killed in a two-year war since October 2023.

Source: prizrenpost