Netanyahu testimony ends early for medical reasons

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyhau's Monday corruption trial testimony ended early so that the Israeli leader could get his eye checked by a doctor.

The Wednesday hearing was cancelled; the next hearing will be held next Monday.

Former Walla owner Shaul Elovitch was too afraid of the Walla staff and leadership to push them to change coverage, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu alleged during his Monday corruption trial testimony concerning an alleged scheme for positive coverage in exchange for favorable policies to Elovitch's Bezeq communications company.

In a review of text messages between  Elovitch and Walla leadership, the co-defendant asked for a less negative angle on a story relating to Netanyahu.

Netanyahu said that the manner in which he asked demonstrated how afraid his co-defendant was to speak to them about writing more neutrally or positively. As the owner, he could have ordered Walla staff to shift to a pro-Likud website or fire staff that disagreed with him, but he didn't out of fear of their backlash, explained Netanyahu.

"He was simply afraid," said Netanyahu, the defense arguing how this demonstrated that a supposed media bribery scheme was not implemented.

Defense attorney Amit Haddad argued that Walla gave less favorable treatment to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu than other outlets despite allegations of a media bribery scheme, presenting at the Israeli leader's Monday corruption trial internal communications highlighting how critical the Walla leadership was of press statements from his camp.

Former Walla owner Shaul Elovitch had spoken to Walla CEO Ilan Yeshua about a story that Ynet had allegedly published almost word for word from a press release. Haddad noted that there were no allegations of an unusual relationship between Netanyahu and Ynet.

Yeshua reportedly told Elovitch that Walla did more due diligence in their review of press releases, which the defense argued showed how much more the outlet was critical of content related to Netanyahu.

After the closed session ended, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu disputed the alleged coordination between his camp and Walla for positive news coverage as part of an alleged media bribery scheme.

Netanyahu said that he was not in contact with his friend and alleged scheme middleman Zeev Rubinstein about changes to Walla's coverage, such as one article pertaining to his wife, Sara. Rubinstein supposedly pursued changes of his own accord.

"Rubinstein didn't talk to me," Netanyahu said, insisting text records indicated that he was not involved.

In the example of a story about Sara Netanyahu's 2015 visit to a Lod school, the municipality had put out the statement, and Netanyahu denied knowing about requests to send a camera crew.

The prime minister noted that other outlets had covered the item in a more neutral manner than Walla, which he said had presented it negatively.

Netanyahu remarked that he knew nothing about Rubinstein's messages to Walla, which indicated that Sara wasn't happy with the coverage.

In review of other articles and the communications surrounding them, Netanyahu argued that involvement in their publication was beneath him.

"No one is telling me what [articles] are now on Walla, it's on that site or another," said Netanyahu. "Who cares anyway?"

An aide brought an envelope into the closed session of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Monday corruption trial testimony, leading to a short recess. 
 
 
 

The closed-door session on sensitive testimonies touching on three items of the indictment stretched through Monday morning.

The prosecution called on the indictment items related to the prime minister's family to be made public.

Call logs indicated that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's relationship with co-defendant Shaul Elovitch wasn't close in 2016, the defense argued at the Israeli leader's Monday corruption trial testimony.

Defense attorney Amit Haddad noted that there was a conversation of one second, in which Netanyahu related he had not discussed anything of importance.

"Based on the logs, you didn't talk for another 14 months -- how much would you say this characterized your relationship?" asked Haddad.

"Very much," said Netanyahu. "We weren't that close. My relationship with him exists, but it's not particularly close."

Netanyahu said that testimonies that indicated otherwise were made up due to pressure from interrogators.

Investigations into an alleged scheme to change government policies in return for positive news coverage halted telecommunication market reforms, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu complained during his Monday corruption trial testimony.

"It's all because of this witch hunt," said Netanyahu. "These insane trials are hurting our progress. The world is continuing, and we are stuck."

The investigations and ensuing legal process cost Israel NIS 13 million a year because the reforms weren't implemented, Netanyahu complained.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Monday corruption trial testimony was interrupted on Monday by a closed door security session. Only his legal defense team and the prosecution were allowed in attendance. 

The trial, currently focusing on Case 4000, examines the question of his relationship with co-defendant and ex-Walla owner Shaul Elovitch and former Communications Ministry director-general Shlomo Filber.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Monday corruption trial testimony devolved into screaming and verbal clashes over government policies regarding those held by Hamas in Gaza and the Israeli leader wearing hostage pins.

"You're killing the hostages," yelled bereaved family member IDF Brig. Gen. (res.) Asaf Agmon at Netanyahu.

Likud activist Kineret Barashi, hostage family members, and other audience members screamed at one another about the government's approach to a hostage deal with Hamas.

Outside the courthouse, activists protested Netanyahu's approach to hostages held in Hamas, a scandal about his office's connections to Qatar, and the dismissal of Shin Bet head Ronen Bar and Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara.