US ambassador to Israel attends Netanyahu’s corruption trial

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared before the Tel Aviv District Court on Wednesday to continue his testimony in his corruption trial.

The hearing briefly paused when Netanyahu’s military secretary, Major General Roman Gofman, arrived at the courtroom, prompting the premier to request his presence, Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported.

The trial session was attended by US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee signalling Washington’s support for Netanyahu.

“It will be interesting to witness this. President Trump has made his position clear; this is personal for him. He considers Netanyahu a friend. I would say it’s extraordinary that the Prime Minister is on trial during wartime and during negotiations over hostages,” he said.

In January, Netanyahu began interrogation sessions related to charges in the cases designated 1,000, 2,000, and 4,000, all of which he denies.

READ: US envoy to UN urges Security Council members to support Gaza Humanitarian Foundation

Case 1,000 involves Netanyahu and his family receiving expensive gifts from wealthy businessmen in exchange for favours.

Case 2,000 concerns alleged negotiations with Arnon Mozes, the publisher of the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth, to gain positive media coverage.

Case 4,000, considered the most serious, involves providing facilitation to Shaul Elovitch, the former owner of the news site Walla and a telecommunications company, Bezeq, in return for favourable media coverage.

Netanyahu, whose trial began on May 24, 2020, is the first sitting Israeli leader to take the stand as a criminal defendant in the country’s history.

He also faces charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity, with the International Criminal Court issuing arrest warrants for him and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant in November 2024 over atrocities in Gaza, where nearly 58,500 people, mostly women and children, have been killed since October 2023.

READ: Israeli prime minister appears before Tel Aviv court in his corruption trial