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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's criminal trial resumed at the Tel Aviv District Court on Monday, with the hearing opening behind closed doors against the backdrop of global tensions surrounding the war with Iran. The session marks the continuation of cross-examination in the central case against Netanyahu, who has repeatedly denied the allegations as politically motivated.

Coverage Comparison

The Jerusalem Post, the sole source of the provided coverage, reported the trial's resumption in two separate accounts. The first, published in April, described the testimony beginning after a two-month pause due to the war in Iran and security developments in the region. The second, from May, noted that the hearing opened with a closed-door session and placed the trial at the cross-examination phase. Both accounts focus on procedural details and the allegations in Case 4000, also known as the Bezeq-Walla affair.

Key Claims

  • Testimony resumed after a two-month pause: According to the Jerusalem Post's April report, Netanyahu's testimony resumed on a Tuesday morning, following a hiatus attributed to the war in Iran and security developments. This claim is documented in a single source.
  • Closed-door session: The May report states the hearing began with a closed-door session, a detail not mentioned in the earlier account. This is also from a single source.
  • Cross-examination phase: The trial is currently at the cross-examination stage, as the prosecution questions Netanyahu and confronts him with what it describes as inconsistencies in his testimony, per the Post's May report.
  • Case 4000 allegations: Netanyahu is accused of advancing regulatory decisions that benefited Shaul Elovitch, then controlling shareholder of Bezeq, in exchange for favorable coverage on the Walla news site, which Elovitch also owned. This is reported by both accounts.
  • Charges: Netanyahu is charged with bribery, fraud, and breach of trust in Case 4000, according to both reports.
  • Political motivation: Netanyahu says the cases against him are politically motivated, a claim reported in the May article.
  • Timeline: Netanyahu was indicted in 2019 and began testifying in December 2024, becoming the first sitting Israeli prime minister to take the stand as a criminal defendant, as noted in the May report. Cross-examination began in June 2025, after months of direct examination by the defense, according to the same source.

Perspectives

Government/Prosecution perspective: The prosecution alleges that Netanyahu, while serving as communications minister, used his regulatory authority to benefit Bezeq in return for favorable coverage on Walla. The cross-examination aims to expose inconsistencies in his testimony.

Defense/Netanyahu perspective: Netanyahu denies all charges and has consistently argued that the legal proceedings against him are politically motivated. His testimony, which began in December 2024, is part of his defense against the charges.

Regional context: The trial's proceedings occur amid the "war with Iran," as described by the Post, which adds a layer of complexity to an already high-profile legal case. The closed-door nature of the hearing underscores the security sensitivities involved, though details of the closed session were not disclosed in the available coverage.