Netanyahu Accuses Prosecutors of Misleading Him During Trial Testimony

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused prosecutors on Monday of misleading him during proceedings in Case 4000, saying they were creating the impression that he had given contradictory answers. He said they present him with a false picture based on testimony from Shaul Elovitch, then turn his responses into “two versions” before the court. “They are misleading me here, and causing me to give two answers in court,” Netanyahu said.

The exchange came after the prosecution last week finished its cross-examination of Netanyahu in the so-called Thousand Cases. In Monday’s hearing, Netanyahu also raised his voice at prosecutor Yehonatan Tadmor during cross-examination in Case 2000. The outburst followed Tadmor confronting him with changes in his account about conversations he held with Yedioth Ahronoth publisher Arnon Mozes.

Netanyahu did not comply with repeated requests from the judges to lower his voice. When the court tried to calm the exchange, he banged on the table and shouted, “I am allowed to speak!” Judge Rebecca Friedman-Feldman asked him to stop escalating the argument, but he continued to raise his voice.

He told the court, “You did what you never did to any public figure and used spyware, that is what you did in the campaign to topple a prime minister. The pretence that you did not spread nets to catch people, you violated all the laws.” He then shouted, “You will spend all your days in court! What public figure did you do this to! It is shameful. Everyone says this is a police state! Stasi! Political persecution!”