Netanyahu slams fists on trial stand, says life upturned by lies and indictment

Defense attorney Amit Haddad continued to explore items of the indictment with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before the court at his Wednesday corruption trial testimony, arguing that many of the items depicted as being part of an unusual and suspicious coverage relationship with Walla was actually standard correspondence between politicians and journalists.

In one instance, Haddad presented a request to change the picture embedded in an article to one of Sara Netanyahu walking into the United Nations building with her husband. Hadad noted that Netanyahu's office had asked if "there is a chance" that it could be changed, rather than demanding, and Netanyahu said that while he was not involved, it was "a very polite request."

Netanyahu noted that politicians and their spokespersons request article changes for more flattering photographs to be used all the time, venturing that if you gathered all such messages from Israeli politicians, they would be nearly countless.

Defense Attorney Amit Hadad argued at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Wednesday corruption trial testimony that at least three items in the indictment against the Israeli leader were requests to Walla to include the Likud party's response to news stories, rather than unusual coverage demands as part of a media bribery scheme.

Netanyahu said that it was the journalistic minimum to include the response and position of another party mentioned in the story, such as a Walla article about a Moshe Kahlon staffer calling him Satan. The spokesperson's remarks, sent to ex-Walla owner Shaul Elovitch and ex-CEO Ilan Yeshua, were published in similar stories by multiple outlets.

Netanyahu had another emotional outburst, asserting that the inclusion of normal spokesperson's correspondences with news outlets were being used to fabricate a story about corruption. Investigators couldn't find anything incriminating, boomed an irate Netanyahu, but "they had to find something to stop my life."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu exploded in a rare emotional outburst when the judges sought to expedite the review of every item of the indictment during his Wednesday corruption trial testimony.

"I can't accept what is being said here," shouted Netanyahu, slamming his fists on the stand.

Netanyahu roared that his life had been upturned by lies and an evil indictment. The lies forced him to come to court twice a week, at least the court could allow him to address what he said were falsehoods.

For the second time in the hearing Netanyahu turned his ire on the prosecution, but during his outburst describing their malice against him in more heated terms.

The judges took a more conciliatory and empathetic tone as they explained how certain legal issues were being explored to a certain point of redundancy, and they wanted to review other matters as well.

Netanyahu regained his composure when a message came through an aide, and he requested a long break to address government matters. 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during his Wednesday corruption trial testimony that he had not discussed telecommunications regulations with Bezeq owner Shaul Elovitch during three phone calls ahead of the 2015 elections.

Netanyahu supposedly did not remember the contents of each conversation, but acknowledged that during the period before the elections, he was speaking to many people trying to "straighten things out."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's seventeenth corruption trial testimony began early at the Tel Aviv District Court house on Wednesday.