Israeli prime minister testifies in court for 4th time in his corruption trial

JERUSALEM

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared in court in Tel Aviv for the 4th time on Wednesday to testify in his corruption trial.

Netanyahu's hearing session was scheduled for Tuesday but was canceled after he embarked on a secret visit to Mount Hermon (Jabal al-Sheikh) in Syria’s demilitarized zone in the occupied Golan Heights.

According to the Israeli public broadcaster KAN, Netanyahu’s session on Wednesday is expected to focus on a case known as "4000" in which the prime minister is accused of providing regulatory favors to Shaul Elovitch, then-owner of Bezeq Telecom Company and the Walla news site, in exchange for favorable coverage for him and his wife.

Netanyahu, the first sitting Israeli leader to take the stand as a criminal defendant in the country’s history, faces accusations of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust, which he denies.

Netanyahu also faces charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity, with the International Criminal Court (ICC) issuing arrest warrants for him and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in November over atrocities in Gaza.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar in Ankara