Netanyahu trial day five: Bibi says he didn't know what business approval docs he was signing
Netanyahu says indictment shows he's being targeted by fake allegations • Says investigators did not question him on most of indictment items • Described Walla as 'Walla Ackbar'
Netanyahu at trial on business approvals: I didn't know what I was signing
Netanyahu said that sometimes his aides would draw his attention to important items, but sometimes he didn't have time to review them.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's corruption trial testimony on Monday turned to focus on the benefit that he allegedly provided to co-defendant Shaul Elovitch in a supposed media bribery scheme, with the Israeli leader claiming that he didn't know what business approval documents he was signing and that he was focused on instituting sound reforms for the country rather than aiding the former Walla and Bezeq owner.
Go to the full article >>Netanyahu's corruption trial testimony to resume at normal hours on Tuesday
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s corruption trial testimony ended on Monday, and will resume at the normal hours on Tuesday.
Netanyahu says he did not have means to monitor 'Walla'
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at his Monday corruption trial that he didn't have a means to monitor the Walla website, and didn't bother contacting ex-owner Shaul Elovitch about individual stories because he saw no point.
Netanyahu said that he didn't have a cellphone or laptop computer, preventing him from monitoring the website at the center of an alleged media bribery scheme.
The prime minister also explained to the judges that he didn't bother to contact Elovitch about negative articles like one presented by defense attorney Amit Haddad because he saw Walla as hostile and Elovitch as uninterested in correcting his outlet's behavior.
Netanyahu argues on absurdity of bribery scheme
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu argued at his Monday corruption trial testimony that the complicated series of intermediaries between him and co-defendant and then-Walla owner Shaul Elovitch demonstrated the absurdity that the sale of Yad2 to Walla was expedited as part of a media bribery scheme.
Netanyahu explained that according to the indictment against him, ex-Walla CEO Ilan Yeshua contacted Elovitch, Elovitch contacted Netanyahu's former chief of staff Gil Sheffer, Sheffer contacted then-chief of staff Eyal Haimovsky, Haimovsky contacted Netanyahu's secretary, who passed on the message about the business deal to him.
The prime minister joked that the scenario was akin to the Passover holiday song "Ahad Gadiyah."
Netanyahu: John Kerry suggested US oversight in Jordan Valley security
Former US Secretary of State John Kerry tried to convince Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to relinquish Israeli control of the Jordan Valley by assuring him American-backed security like in Afghanistan, Netanyahu shared at his Monday corruption trial testimony.
Netanyahu regaled the Tel Aviv District Court with a story while commenting on a Walla article that portrayed him negatively, explaining that Kerry attempted to talk to him about a peace deal with Palestinians in 2014.
"Peace doesn't bring security; security brings peace," said Netanyahu.
Kerry tried to convince Netanyahu to remove Israeli forces from the Jordan Valley, but Netanyahu expressed concern that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps would enter the border region. Kerry explained that the US would ensure security in the territory.
Netanyahu revealed that Kerry had offered to organize a secret visit for Netanyahu to Afghanistan, where he could see how they had built up the government and security apparatus.
"The moment you leave, the Taliban will wipe the floor," with the American-backed Afghanistan government, Netanyahu said he had warned.
'I need to leave now' to address gov't matters, Netanyahu tells judges
At his Monday corruption trial testimony, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu strongly insisted that he immediately leave to address government matters.
"I need to leave now," said Netanyahu before the judges approved a five-minute break in the testimony.
Netanyahu calls 2014 Yad2 deal approval ‘regulatory absurdity'
At his Monday corruption trial testimony, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu slammed the Israeli government's need to approve business deals like the 2014 sale of Yad2 to Walla, which the prosecution claimed the leader expedited as part of a deal for positive coverage from Walla.
"It's regulatory absurdity," Netanyahu repeated in English about the need for standard business deals to be approved by the government.
Netanyahu says he is the target of false allegations
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at his Monday corruption trial that the indictment against him and not also ex-communication minister Gilad Erdan for the approval of Yad2's purchase by Walla indicated that he was being targeted with false allegations.
"Why didn't you indict Erdan?" said Netanyahu, arguing that Erdan was also involved in approving the 2014 business deal that the prosecution has claimed was expedited by then-Walla CEO Ilan Yeshua.
The defense reviewed contemporaneous call logs between Netanyahu and then-Walla owner Shaul Elovitch. Netanyahu said that he had called Elovitch to get his advice about Japan, India, and China.
"If I called him, it was about Japan; if he called me, it was about Yad2," said Netanyahu.
Netanyahu asks for pause in trial testimony after aide delivers note
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu requested a break from his Monday corruption trial testimony after he received a note from an aide.
The judges asked him to wait until noon for a half-hour break, to which the prime minister agreed.
Netanyahu: Bezeq document reviewed before signing, no quid pro quo
A business approval document benefiting Bezeq owner Shaul Elovitch went through legal and professional scrutiny before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed it, the Israeli leader said at his Monday corruption trial testimony, meaning there was no reason to investigate the item.
Netanyahu argued that legal experts and bureaucrats had reviewed the document before it arrived on his desk for him to sign.
Netanyahu reiterated that he did not know what he was signing or that Elovitch would earn millions of shekels due to the approval of the document. Walla was not in his mind when he signed, and it wasn't part of a quid pro quo.
What you need to know
- Monday is set to be the fifth day of testimony for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
- The hearing is beginning and ending an hour earlier at the request of Netanyahu.
- Netanyahu faces three cases against him, case 4000, case 2000, and case 1000.
- Most of the testimony so far has been related to case 4000
- Case 4000 accuses Netanyahu of bribery in an alleged scheme with co-defendants Shaul and Iris Elovitch to exchange positive news coverage on Walla for Netanyahu’s implementation of policies favorable to Elovitch’s Bezeq telecommunications.
- Case 2000 alleges that Netanyahu sought to weaken the newspaper Yisrael Hayom with legislation in return for positive coverage from publisher Arnon Mozes's Yediot Aharonot.
- In Case 1000, Netanyahu is alleged to have received expensive gifts in return for furthering the interests of businessman Arnon Milchan.