Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu returned to the witness stand in his long-running criminal trial on Tuesday, facing cross-examination over allegations that he received luxury gifts, including cigars and champagne, from businessman Arnon Milchan.
The proceedings, part of the high-profile Case 1000, center on whether these gifts constitute corruption or were simply personal gestures.
At the start of the session, Netanyahu disputed claims about the quantity of cigars he received from Milchan, saying that they were minimal and unrelated to his role as prime minister.
“You are trying to present this as if I received a truckload of cigars,” Netanyahu said in response to the prosecution’s questions. “I received a trickle – it’s nothing.” He added that Milchan’s homes were brimming with cigars and champagne, which were routinely offered to the businessman’s guests.
The prosecution, led by attorney Yonatan Tadmor, questioned Netanyahu about the apparent discrepancy between his account and the testimony of Milchan’s driver and associate, Hadas Klein, who said most of the gifts were explicitly intended for the prime minister.
Netanyahu downplays Milchan's gifts
Netanyahu insisted that it was Klein’s version that was inaccurate. “Give me a break – [Milchan] smoked with me once or twice,” He replied, downplaying the significance of the gifts.
Netanyahu framed the gifts as stemming from personal friendship.
“From the very beginning, Milchan brought me cigars because he knew I liked them,” he said. “Even when I was out of the office, he continued to give gifts. It was not about my position – it was friendship.”
The prime minister also addressed the champagne issue, including bottles received during his political hiatus. Netanyahu described the amounts as modest and criticized the prosecution for “inflating the figures” in the indictment.
When questioned about whether his wife, Sara, received gifts from Milchan, Netanyahu said the couple spent limited time together due to their demanding schedules, adding, “I’m not there to know if a bottle of champagne from Milchan arrives.”
The exchange also saw Netanyahu meticulously recounting what he said was his memory of the gifts he had received over the years.
He detailed that meetings with Milchan occurred roughly three to four times a year, over five years, and that not every encounter involved gift-giving. “They are trying to make it sound like a massive operation, but it’s one-tenth of what they claim,” Netanyahu said.