The judges in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's trial this week sent an unusual message to the parties, saying that the prosecution would have difficulty in establishing the facts of corruption in Case 4,000, pointing to the "complexity" of such an approach, Channel 13 News reported on Thursday.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
According to these remarks, made during a chambers meeting, the judges urged the lawyers to reach a plea agreement on the grounds that "it was in the best interest of the state" in the wake of the testimony by state witness Shlomo Filber, which complicated the chances of winning a conviction. On the stand during cross-examination, Filber sowed doubt on part of the indictment, suggesting that a meeting Netanyahu reportedly had with him when he entered the role of Communications Ministry director general may not have taken place as claimed.
However, Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara ruled out a month ago the possibility of mediation proposed by the court, judging that such a procedure would suspend the trial for a long period and that its chances of success were weak. The trial will resume in the coming days with the testimony of businessman Arnon Milchan, the key witness in Case 1000. Due to his state of health, he will testify from England.
The charges in Case 4,000 of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust are the most serious. The prime minister is accused of offering Shaul Elovitch, the controlling shareholder in the Bezeq telecom giant, legislative benefits potentially worth millions in exchange for positive coverage for himself and his family on the then-Bezeq-owned Walla news site.
This article was first published by i24NEWS.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
