Netanyahu corruption trial: Israeli PM calls allegations 'simply ridiculous'
File photo of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday (Dec. 10)took the stand in the corruption trial against him, calling the allegations "simply ridiculous."
The trial involves three separate cases in which prosecutors said that Netanyahu exchangedregulatory favours with media titans for favourable press coverage and advanced the personal interests of a billionaire Hollywood producer in exchange for lavish gifts.
Netanyahu responds to allegations
As per a report by The Times of Israel on Tuesday, Netanyahu responded to the allegations that he demandedchampagne and cigars and exploited his position to receive thousands of shekels in benefits.
“This is a total lie. I work 17-18 hours a day. Everyone who knows me knows this,” Netanyahu said.
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“That’s how I work. I eat my meals at my work table, it’s not cordon bleu, it’s not waiters coming with white gloves,” he added.
The Israeli prime minister also pointed out that he worked around the clock. "...sometimes I sit with a cigar, and I can’t smoke it all at once because I smoke them between meetings,” Netanyahu said, adding, that he hated champagne.
Toward the end of Netanyahu’s testimony today in his corruption trial, the premier described what he viewed as hostile coverage he received a decade ago from the Walla news site.
He contends that Walla at the time was extraordinarily adversarial toward him, and that this did not improve over the next period of time.
Netanyahu first sitting Israeli PM to face trial
Benjamin Netanyahu is the first sitting Israeli prime minister to face a criminal trial.
Several people, including anti-Netanyahu protesters and his supporters, gathered outside the court, while some right-wing lawmakers attended the session, which was held in an underground chamber for security reasons, a report by the news agency AFP said.
Also watch | Ex-Shin Bet chief accuses Netanyahu of spying
The corruption trial, which began in 2020, is scheduled to last for several months, with an appeals process that could further prolong matters.
(With inputs from agencies)