Netanyahu thanked the presiding judge Rivka Friedman-Feldman and said: "I have waited eight years for this moment to tell the truth as I remember it." Without truth, there is no justice. The judge granted the defense's request that the head of government be allowed to receive notes with important information on current political developments during the sessions. At a press conference on Monday evening, Netanyahu criticized the trial as a systematic persecution of his person. He accused the media of spreading lies.

Cabinet members in the hall out of solidarity
For security reasons, the trial is taking place in an underground hall of the Tel Aviv District Court. A total of twelve of his cabinet ministers had demanded that the questioning be postponed due to the Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip and the region. The judiciary refused. Several ministers sat in the courtroom to demonstrate their solidarity with the accused head of government. The accused head of government greeted them with a smile upon his arrival.

Prime Minister in court for the first time
This is the first time that a sitting prime minister has stood trial in Israel. The trial could last for years. It has been postponed until now due to the Gaza war. Netanyahu is due to testify three times a week for around two months. The 75-year-old is charged with fraud, breach of trust and bribery. He faces up to ten years in prison for bribery and up to three years for fraud and breach of trust. Among other things, Netanyahu is accused of granting benefits to the telecommunications giant Bezeq when he was Communications Minister. He is also alleged to have accepted luxury gifts from billionaire friends.

"There is no immunity against corruption"
Numerous government opponents are already convinced of his guilt and also demonstrated outside the court building on Tuesday. "There is no immunity against corruption" was written on one of the signs they held aloft. Before the war, Netanyahu's legal problems had deeply divided Israelis and shaken politics.

After Netanyahu's election victory in 2022, his far-right government launched a judicial campaign to limit the court's power. This sparked mass protests in Israel and led to concerns among Western allies about the country's democracy. The conservative politician denied any connection between the judicial reform and his trial. After the outbreak of the war, he largely abandoned the plan, but in recent weeks has once again spoken out about a possible judicial reform.

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