Netanyahu at trial: Investigators distorted testimonies, blackmailed witnesses

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's corruption trial testimony ended early on Wednesday with a final point by defense attorney Amit Hadad that the Israeli leader's office had issued a missive on the need for telecommunications policy reform that would ostensibly harm the business interests of former Walla and Bezeq owner Shaul Elovitch.

Netanyahu said that no one had called him or pressed him not to pursue the reforms, including his co-defendant Elovitch. 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he was not aware of or had ordered meetings of his staff with Bezeq officers regarding a Bezeq-Yes merger that the prosecution contends was part of a media bribery scheme.

Aid David Sharan met with former Bezeq VP Amikam Shorer twice during the 2015 election period due to their friendship, not at the prime minister's behest, Defense Attorney Amit Hadad argued.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at his Wednesday corruption trial testimony that investigators distorted testimonies and blackmailed witnesses to bolster allegations of a media bribery scheme.

Investigators didn't confront the prime minister with statements by former Communications Ministry chief of staff David Sharan, former Netanyahu aid, and other witnesses because he would have set the matter straight.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at his Wednesday corruption trial testimony that he did not order then-Communications Ministry director Eitan Tsafrir to approve a Bezeq-Yes merger that would have benefited Bezeq owner and alleged media bribery scheme co-defendant Shaul Elovitch. 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed at his Wednesday corruption trial that there were no star witnesses in the prosecution's case because investigators never thought the legal process would reach the point of a trial, but rather that the allegations would be resolved in a plea deal. 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Wednesday corruption trial testimony continued after a brief break in which the Israeli leader received an envelope from an aide.
 
 
 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu requested and was given an immediate recess after receiving an envelope from an aide at his Wednesday corruption trial testimony. 
 
 
 

During his Wednesday corruption trial testimony, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserted that the allegations against him were based on "guilt by association."

Netanyahu made the remark in relation to the exhibition of a Walla article about an electrician who was a Likud Party member and was working on the prime minister's Balfour residence amid controversy about the use of public funds for the renovation project.

Netanyahu said that the electrician's only fault was being affiliated with his political party, much in the same way he had been persecuted by the prosecution.

To discredit the idea that there was a media bribery scheme between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Walla, at the Israeli leader's Wednesday corruption trial testimony, the defense continued to present what it characterized as the outlet's negative news coverage of the Israeli leader.

Defense Attorney Amit Haddad presented a series of articles regarding the controversy surrounding the use of public funds for the renovations of the prime ministerial Balfour residence. 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's corruption trial testimony began anew on Wednesday at the Tel Aviv District Courthouse, half an hour earlier than usual.