Netanyahu vows to fight charges

ISRAEL TEL AVIV, Israel — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised Tuesday to knock down corruption allegations against him as he began testifying in his long-running trial, becoming the first sitting Israeli leader to take the stand as a criminal defendant. The testimony is another low point for Israel's longest-serving leader, who also faces an international arrest warrant for alleged war crimes in Israel's war in Gaza. In his opening testimony in a packed Tel Aviv courtroom, Netanyahu argued that he was a dedicated leader and a defender of Israel's interests, swatting away the charges against him as a "drop in the sea" compared to the challenges he faced protecting his country.

But the charges tore open divisions in Israel and complicate Netanyahu's legacy, which also is tainted by the war in Gaza and the growing international isolation Israel faces because of it. People are also reading..



. Netanyahu said he could balance appearing at his trial with his duties as prime minister at a time when Israel is still fighting a war in Gaza and contending with the fall of Bashar Assad in neighboring Syria. Netanyahu will answer to charges of fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in three separate cases.

He's accused of accepting tens of thousands of dollars' worth of cigars and champagne from a billionaire Hollywood producer in exchange for assistance with personal and business interests. He is also accused of promoting advantageous regulations for media moguls in exchange for favorable 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 around him and his family, who have a reputation of enjoying a lavish lifestyle at taxpayers' expense. Netanyahu's testimony is taking place in an underground, fortified courtroom for security reasons. The testimony, scheduled 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.

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!.