Video: Netanyahu's trial: Testimony of Avi Alkalai, former editor of Walla!/Walla editorial board!
The judges of the Jerusalem District Court on Tuesday approved reducing the number of hearings in the 4000 case against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from three to two a week. This was at the request of businessman Shaul Elovitch, who is also charged in the case. As a result, the hearing scheduled for tomorrow was canceled.
Yesterday, hearings in the case resumed in the Jerusalem District Court, after about two months of the Tishrei holiday recess, which was extended due to the outbreak of the war in Gaza, in which the courts operated in an emergency format for urgent hearings only.
The activity of the courts, and with it the proceedings against Netanyahu, were renewed following an order signed by Justice Minister Yariv Levin. Nevertheless, the ministry's other minister, Dudi Amsalem, saw fit to criticize the resumption of the trial, writing on X (formerly Twitter): "They are employing the prime minister with delusional trifles, a disgrace." However, Netanyahu's spokesman, Ofer Golan, confirmed last weekend that the discussion was expected to take place.
During the emergency format, no requests were submitted and no exceptional events related to the prime minister's files were held, but Netanyahu did meet with directors of news companies such as Avi Weiss of Channel 12 News and Or Tzelkovnik of News 13, as well as with Yedioth Ahronoth editor Avi Mechoulam. Although Noni Mozes is accused of offering a bribe to Netanyahu in the 2,000 case, Netanyahu's lawyers did not update the court at this meeting.
What is Netanyahu accused of?
Case 1000 (The Gifts Affair): Netanyahu is accused of receiving favors worth about NIS 700,2000 from businessmen Arnon Milchan and James Packer while serving as prime minister. The main gifts were cigars, champagne cases and jewelry.
In addition, it was claimed that Netanyahu acted on Milchan's behalf in three matters, at the businessman's request: he approached US Secretary of State John Kerry to extend Milchan's visa, he approached Finance Minister Yair Lapid to extend the validity of the tax exemption for returning residents, and he worked to promote the merger of Keshet and Reshet – ostensibly at Milchan's request. According to the prosecution, these acts damaged the image of the public service and the public's trust in it.
In this case, Netanyahu is accused of fraud and breach of trust.
Case 4000 (Netanyahu-Mozes affair): The file deals with conversations that took place between Netanyahu and Yedioth Ahronoth publisher Noni Mozes. During the meeting, the two allegedly discussed improving the prime minister's coverage in a news group in exchange for imposing restrictions on the paper's main competitor, Israel Hayom.
The prosecution was convinced that the person who offered the deal was Mozes, and therefore he was accused of offering a bribe. On the other hand, Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit was also convinced that Netanyahu did not intend to complete the bribery deal, but continued the talks with Mozes in order to improve his coverage in a news group, and even took certain actions to that end.
In this case, Netanyahu is accused of fraud and breach of trust.
Case <> (the Bezeq-Walla affair!): The most serious case for the prime minister, dealing with regulatory benefits worth hundreds of millions of shekels that Netanyahu allegedly granted to businessman Shaul Elovitch. In return, according to the indictment, Elovitch, who is accused alongside his wife Iris of bribery, worked to divert the coverage on Walla!, which he controlled.
In this case, Netanyahu is accused of bribery.
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