On Monday, hearings were resumed at the Central Court in Tel Aviv for the testimony of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in connection with the three corruption cases he is accused of, where the trial is held at a pace of three sessions per week.

Trial Progress and Session Schedule

The resumption of the trial came after a break of several weeks due to Netanyahu undergoing surgery to remove the prostate, in addition to his recent visit to Washington. During the session, the judges asked Netanyahu's attorney, Amit Hadad, to provide an estimated time for completing his client's testimony, to which he clarified that:

• Case 4000 may require between 12 to 14 sessions.

• Cases 1000 and 2000 will take about 10 sessions.

• A total of 24 to 25 sessions are allocated for his testimony.

For his part, attorney Jack Hine, representing Shaul and Iris Alovich, accused in Case 4000, confirmed his need for two additional sessions to interrogate Netanyahu. Meanwhile, the public prosecutor's representative, Yehonatan Tedmor, asserted that the prosecution aims to avoid extending the investigations to 120 sessions.

Judges' Positions and Disputes Over Methodology

During the session, Judge Rivka Friedman Feldman criticized the length of the pleadings, saying to Netanyahu's attorney: “We have held nine sessions so far and listened patiently, but we feel the need to introduce some changes.” Attorney Hadad responded that they are still “at the beginning of the road.”

The judge also indicated that there is no need to display materials on the screen during the sessions, calling for a change in the method of questioning. For his part, Judge Oded Shuham confirmed that the details regarding changing the media coverage in favor of Netanyahu on the "Walla" site have become quite clear, making it unproductive to address each detail separately.

Netanyahu Calls for His Right to Detailed Defense

During the session, Netanyahu requested to speak, and the judges allowed him, but they denied his request to hold the session behind closed doors. In his remarks, he said:

“The accusation against me for bribery is based on 315 details, and each one of them is considered bribery, and on this basis, I am being prosecuted and the entire state is preoccupied for years. It is my right and duty to respond to each detail.”

He added that these details are “important and require review,” emphasizing that his right to defend himself morally and legally must be guaranteed. He also revealed that he proposed to resort to arbitration to resolve the issues, but the prosecution rejected that, along with its refusal to drop some charges.

Summary of the Session

The trial continues amid increasing disputes between the defense and the judiciary regarding the management of the sessions, while the prosecution emphasizes that it seeks not to prolong the trial. In contrast, Netanyahu and his lawyers insist on reviewing all the details related to the case, in an attempt to defend his position before the court and public opinion.