Jerusalem Court Upholds Bribery Charge Against Netanyahu After Cross-Examination

Exactly three years after judges at the Jerusalem District Court suggested reconsidering the bribery charge in Case 4000 against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the court reaffirmed its position following Netanyahu's cross-examination on June 29, 2023. Despite the prosecution's efforts to prove bribery during Netanyahu's cross-examination, the judges stated their stance remains unchanged, indicating the attempt to revive the bribery charge has failed.

During the court session, Netanyahu and his lawyer, Amit Hadad, opposed the judges' decision to extend trial sessions to five days a week and resisted the order to disclose the full list of defense witnesses, aiming to preserve the element of surprise crucial in criminal trials. Hadad warned that continuing the bribery charge could prolong the trial until March 2028, coinciding with the retirement of presiding Judge Rivka Friedman-Feldman.

Hadad emphasized the unprecedented trial schedule, comparing it only to the Eichmann trial, and expressed concerns about the defense's ability to provide adequate representation under such conditions. Prosecutor Yehudit Tirosh acknowledged the difficulty of five-day trial weeks and suggested limiting lengthy defense examinations and scrutinizing witness relevance.

Three years ago, the judges had already expressed doubts about the bribery charge's viability in Case 4000 and recommended dropping it due to evidentiary challenges. However, the Attorney General, Gali Baharav-Miara, and the prosecution rejected this, insisting on proving bribery during the defense's cross-examination phase. The court also declined the prosecution's request to hold sessions during recess but agreed to add more trial days next year to expedite proceedings.