Jerusalem Court Judges Recommend Dropping Bribery Charge Against Netanyahu in Case 4000

Exactly three years after Jerusalem District Court judges suggested the state consider dropping the bribery charge in Case 4000 against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the judges reaffirmed their position following Netanyahu's cross-examination on June 29, 2023. Despite the prosecution's refusal to withdraw the bribery charge and their intention to prove it during Netanyahu's cross-examination, the judges stated their stance remains unchanged, indicating the attempt to revive the bribery allegation has failed.

During the court session, Netanyahu's defense attorney, Amit Hadad, warned that if the bribery charge persists, the trial could extend until March 2028, when the presiding judge, Rivka Friedman-Feldman, is set to retire. Netanyahu himself attended the hearing alongside Hadad to oppose the judges' decision to expand trial sessions to five days a week and to resist submitting a full list of defense witnesses, aiming to preserve the element of surprise in the criminal trial.

Hadad argued that only the Eichmann trial had five-day weeks and expressed concern about the defense's ability to provide adequate representation under such conditions. The prosecution's attorney, Yehudit Tirosh, acknowledged the difficulty of five-day weeks for both sides and suggested limiting lengthy defense examinations and scrutinizing witness relevance.

Three years ago, the judges had publicly shared a summary of their concerns about the bribery charge's evidentiary difficulties and proposed the state reconsider this count for the sake of concluding the trial efficiently. Netanyahu still faces charges of fraud and breach of trust in Case 4000, meaning the trial continues even if the bribery charge is dropped. The judges emphasized their recommendation was made solely in the interest of the state and the trial's resolution, independent of the trial's outcome.