Netanyahu interrupted by person shouting at him and calling him ‘loser'
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared before the Tel Aviv District Court on Monday for a third session of cross-examination in his corruption trial on corruption charges, with a protester calling him a “loser.”
According to the Israeli public broadcaster KAN, the trial session focused on Case 1000, in which the Israeli premier is accused of fraud and breach of trust for accepting luxury gifts worth hundreds of thousands of shekels from Hollywood mogul Arnon Milchan, and doing various commercial favors in return.
Netanyahu's lawyer asked the court to end the cross-examination early, citing "an important diplomatic call" for the premier, without giving further details.
At the court during a recess time, Netanyahu was interrupted by a person shouting at him and calling the prime minister a "loser," according to Israeli media.
"Why are you smiling, loser? Bring back the hostages (from Gaza). You are a disgrace to the country," the man shouted before being taken out of the court.
Last week, Netanyahu was cross-examined by state prosecutors for the first time in his criminal trial.
Israeli media called Netanyahu's cross-examination a “dramatic shift,” as it was the first time that the Israeli premier appeared before representatives of the public prosecution for Case 1,000.
Netanyahu faces three separate cases of corruption filed in 2019 against him: Case 1,000, Case 2,000, and Case 4,000, which include accusations of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust. He denies any wrongdoing, calling the accusations “fake.”
Netanyahu, whose trial began on May 24, 2020, is the first sitting Israeli leader to take the stand as a criminal defendant in the country's history.
Under Israeli law, he is not required to resign unless convicted by the Supreme Court, a process that could take several months.
Netanyahu also faces charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity, with the International Criminal Court issuing arrest warrants for him and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in November 2024 over atrocities in Gaza, where nearly 55,000 people, mostly women and children, have been killed since Oct. 7, 2023.
