Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did everything he could to stall advancements on legislation that would place restrictions on the daily newspaper Israel Hayom, he said at his criminal trial hearing on Wednesday.
The prime minister testified for the last time at the Tel Aviv District Court on Case 2000, the “Netanyahu-Mozes Affair,” under the framework of the main defense questioning.
Throughout the next two weeks, several other defense testimonies will occur, followed by the prosecution’s cross-examination.
In Case 2000, Netanyahu is on trial for his relationship with Yediot Aharonot publisher Arnon Mozes, who allegedly offered Netanyahu favorable coverage of himself and his family in the prominent publication, along with unfavorable coverage of the prime minister’s political opponents.
In exchange, Netanyahu allegedly used his position of power to advance legislation that would levy restrictions on competitor Israel Hayom, owned by the family of the late Sheldon Adelson.
Netanyahu's fraud indictment
Netanyahu was indicted by the prosecution for fraud and breach of trust, while Mozes was indicted for offering bribery.
The legislation in question, proposed by the opposition at the time, took the form of a bill that passed its initial vote in 2014 but never advanced beyond that.
Lead defense attorney Amit Hadad presented a series of articles from then that allegedly demonstrated the alliance between Yesh Atid chairman Yair Lapid and former Likud MK Tzipi Livni surrounding the bill.
Whereas the prosecution argued that Netanyahu received favorable coverage in Yediot Aharonot, the prime minister said that this publication, which carries weight, actually dedicated a two-page spread featuring his opponents.
If anything, Netanyahu said, this would have prompted him to try and boost its competitor, Israel Hayom.
He claimed on Wednesday that he was against the legislation that would place restrictions on Israel Hayom, fearing that was bringing the coalition to “the brink of collapse.”
This was the basis, he said, of the conversations he had with “Noni” Mozes, but insisted – as he did in his testimony on Tuesday – that they did not contain any criminal elements.
He said that due to this publication’s prominence, parliamentarians were afraid of negative coverage of themselves.“Noni [Mozes] controlled this particular sect of politicians in the opposition,” Netanyahu said.
He argued that he sought a softer version of the bill instead, one that would “allow Israel Hayom to continue existing – but in a more balanced media arena.”
This demonstrates “the efforts that were put into stopping the law, not advancing it,” Netanyahu said.
The prime minister added that all his private meetings, including with news CEOs like Mozes, were marked as private in his calendar, but that “there was absolutely nothing criminal about it.”
“It is simply that nothing happens, like a meeting, without it being planned. The reason they are marked as private is because you don’t want the press all over it,” Netanyahu said.
Presented with a transcript of the recordings of the conversations that he had with Mozes, Netanyahu said in English, “It’s a manner of speaking.”
The recordings of these transcripts are the bedrock of the indictment in this case.
The prime minister added, “If I did think that there were criminal elements in these conversations, I would have noted that to the relevant authorities. I didn’t because I genuinely didn’t think anything of the sort.”