Netanyahu Tells Court He Was Written Off Twice in His Political Career

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu testified on Tuesday at the Tel Aviv District Court as part of the renewed defense questioning in his corruption trial. He is charged in the so-called cases against him with bribery, fraud and breach of trust, and his testimony is expected to end in the coming days. The judges tried to get clarity on when his lawyer, Amit Hadad, would finish the re-examination, but he did not commit to concluding it that day.

During the hearing, Hadad showed Netanyahu passages from his testimony and from the indictment to complete the questioning. He told the prime minister that the court was examining two periods when he was described as a political has-been, and that the defense claim had supposedly first been raised in court rather than in police questioning.

Netanyahu replied that in 1999 he was effectively eulogized politically, saying, “I was eulogized in 1999, it was said that I was a footnote.” He added that after his 2006 defeat and the drop to 12 Knesset seats, there was a broad sense that he had reached the end of the road. “I call it a political carcass, and others called it that, and sometimes a little more than that,” he said.

Although Netanyahu had said he could conduct the trial while serving as prime minister, he has repeatedly sought to cancel or shorten many hearing days because of his official duties. This stage is now the final phase of his testimony and is expected to take only a few more court sessions. Before Hadad’s questioning, Netanyahu was examined by attorney Sharon Klinman, who represents Mozes.