Netanyahu’s Testimony Ends After 98 Hearings, He Calls Trial ‘10 Years of Hell’

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu finished giving testimony on Wednesday in his criminal trial, after the final round of questioning by defense lawyers. The prosecution had completed its cross-examination last week. In total, the court held 98 hearings since Netanyahu first took the stand on December 10, 2024.

The trial is now expected to continue with additional defense witnesses. Regular hearings will resume in full at the Jerusalem District Court after the testimony phase, which had been held in Tel Aviv for security reasons.

At the end of his testimony, Netanyahu delivered a blistering attack on the proceedings. “I want to say something. I have been in this swamp for 10 years. 10 years of hell, there is no other word,” he said. He argued that while he is trying to lead Israel through “perhaps the greatest challenges currently between countries,” the case is a “vile, false, evil” effort aimed not only at harming individual rights but also at undermining the public’s right to choose him as leader.

Netanyahu added that “you cannot get back these 10 years, not for me, not for my family, and not for the families who were and are being severely harmed,” but said it is still possible to pursue “truth and justice.” He also claimed that “no boundary was not crossed” in the trial in the search for an offense, and described it as a deliberate attempt to block Israeli citizens from voting as they wish.

His attorney, Amit Hadad, thanked the judges when the testimony ended, saying they had shown “patience and consideration,” and adding, “It’s not taken for granted. I don’t think they will miss us.” Judges are now expected to speed up the case after many hearings were canceled or shortened at Netanyahu’s request. The evidentiary phase is projected to finish within about a year, with an aim to complete the verdict before Judge Rivka Friedman-Feldman retires in March 2028.