Protests outside court as Israel's Netanyahu set to take the stand in corruption trial

(10 Dec 2024) RESTRICTION SUMMARY: ASSOCIATED PRESS Tel Aviv - 10 December 2024 1. Mid of protester wearing mask of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and wearing black and white prison uniform during protest 2. Zoom out from banner reading (English) “wanted” to protest 3. Protesters in support of Netanyahu gathered holding signs reading (Hebrew) “judicial clique is harming our security“ 4. Various of supporters of Netanyahu protesting STORYLINE: Protesters gathered outside a court in Tel Aviv on Tuesday both in support and against Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he was set to take the stand in his long-running trial for alleged corruption. The trial will set off what’s expected to be a weekslong spectacle that will draw unwelcome attention to Netanyahu's legal woes as he faces an international arrest warrant for war crimes and the fighting in Gaza continues. It is the first time an Israeli prime minister will take the stand as a criminal defendant, an embarrassing milestone for a leader who has tried to cultivate an image as a sophisticated and respected statesman. Netanyahu will answer during his court appearances to charges of fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in three separate cases. He is accused of accepting tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of cigars and champagne from a billionaire Hollywood producer in exchange for assisting him with personal and business interests. He is also accused of promoting advantageous regulation for media moguls in exchange for favourable coverage of himself and his family. Netanyahu, 75, denies wrongdoing, saying the charges are a witch hunt orchestrated by a hostile media and a biased legal system out to topple his lengthy rule. His testimony caps years of scandals that have swirled around him and his family. Dozens of people gathered outside of the court in Tel Aviv, some protesting against Netanyahu, including family members of hostages held in Gaza, and also a group of his supporters. Under Israeli law, indicted prime ministers are not required to step down. But the charges against Netanyahu cleaved deep divisions in Israel, with protesters demanding he resign and former political allies refusing to serve in government with the Israeli leader, triggering a political crisis that led to five elections in less than four years beginning in 2019. Netanyahu's supporters view the charges as the result of the justice system’s bias and overreach. The testimony, set to take place six hours a day, three days a week for several weeks, will take up a significant chunk of Netanyahu’s working hours, prompting critics to ask if he can capably manage a country embroiled in a war on one front, containing the fallout from a second, and keeping tabs on other potential regional threats, including from Iran or the recent fall of Bashar Assad in Syria. An Israeli court rejected a request by Netanyahu’s lawyers to reduce the expected testimony hours, as well as several other requests to delay the start of the testimony, which they said were necessary because of the prime minister’s busy schedule and the country's significant challenges. =========================================================== Clients are reminded to adhere to all listed restrictions and to check the terms of their licence agreements. For further assistance, please contact the AP Archive on: Tel +44(0)2074827482 Email: info@aparchive.com. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives ​​ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/db6771bc01e341768374f7e6bb86bfd5