Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu Set To Face Corruption Trials Despite War With Hamas

Amidst ongoing fighting between Israel and the Palestinian organization Hamas, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to continue his long-running corruption trial.

Proceedings are set to resume on Monday, December 4, 2023, in a Jerusalem court that will examine the numerous corruption allegation cases known as Cases 1000, 2000, and 3000 filed against Netanyahu in 2019. Charges also include bribery, fraud, and breach of trust.

In Case 1000, Prime Minister Netanyahu and his wife Sara face accusations related to accepting gifts, including champagne and cigars, from the duo of Hollywood film producer Amon Milchan and businessman Jacker Packer for political favours.

Prosecutors argue that between 2007 and 2016, Netanyahu allegedly took gifts estimated to be valued at 700,000 shekels ($195,000), inclusive of jewelry, champagne bottles, and boxes of cigars, in exchange for personal or financial favours.

Netanyahu is the first sitting prime minister in Israel to face trial and has denied the allegations while insisting that he only accepted gifts from friends without asking for them.

He described the charges as a politically motivated “witch-hunt” from his opposition and the media.

Prime Minister Netanyahu’s trial was launched in May 2020 but has been delayed repeatedly due to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and disagreements between the defense and prosecution. Following Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, the justice minister initiated an emergency pause for the trial.

Related: Over 700 Palestinians Killed In Deadliest Overnight Air Strikes By Israeli Forces

The trial’s resumption is surrounded by controversy due to Netanyahu’s planned overhaul of the country’s judicial system. Critics argue that changes to the judiciary are capable of politicizing and compromising the independence of the judiciary, promoting corruption, and adversely affecting the country’s economy.