The hearing in the criminal trial of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that was scheduled for Monday was canceled due to the security situation following the terrorist attack in Jerusalem that left half a dozen people murdered. It was rescheduled for Tuesday from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., and will begin as a closed-door hearing.
Where the trial left off
The last hearing took place on July 16, with the questioning focused on Case 1000, in which Netanyahu is on trial for a conflict of interest relating to billionaire Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan, who was his close friend and confidant while he served as communications minister, from 2013 to 2015.
Allegedly, the prime minister received thousands of dollars worth of champagne and cigars from Milchan and from Australian billionaire James Packer, who was a friend to both. Netanyahu, allegedly, pushed for legislative and regulatory changes that would have been beneficial to Milchan during that time. The prime minister is charged with fraud and breach of trust.
In the last hearing before the recess, the subject matter of the questioning concerned pushes by Netanyahu to secure a US visa for Milchan after his had been canceled. Due to security concerns with information surrounding this issue going on the public record, a representative from the Defense Ministry asked that the hearing be switched to a closed-door setting.
The subject matter of the closed-door hearing today is likely to continue in this line of questioning.
This was never confirmed publicly by Israel, but allegedly, Milchan helped secure technology and materials for its rumored nuclear program.
The prime minister is on trial in three separate cases - 1000, 2000, and 4000. He was indicted in 2020 and has pleaded not guilty to all three.
The cross-examination section of the questioning began in June, before the courts broke for summer recess between July 21 and September 5.
In August, the court announced that, starting in November, there would be four weekly hearings in Netanyahu’s trial, up from three.
The prime minister is scheduled to testify three days of the week, while on the fourth, the court will hear testimonies from other witnesses presented by the defense. The judges said at the time that the decision was made “due to the need to move the case along.” The defense then requested that today, after the testimony is due to wrap up, a hearing be held on the four-day decision.
Netanyahu’s team requested that the court cancel the decision as it would disproportionately overwhelm the team, such that it would have a hard time tending to other cases.
Today, the court is set to hold a public hearing on this matter, following the regular testimony hearing.