Israel's Netanyahu, unbeaten in elections, is going on trial

After entering record books last year as Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu will once again make history when he becomes country’s first sitting leer to go on trial.

Surrounded by security guards, Netanyahu is set to march into Jerusalem’s district court for arraignment on a series of corruption charges on Sunday. stunning scene will push Israel into uncharted political and legal territory, launching a process that could ultimately end career of a leer who has been undefeatable at ballot box for over a dece.

Netanyahu has been charged with fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in a series of cases. He is accused of accepting expensive gifts, such as cartons of champagne and cigars, from wealthy friends and offering favors to media moguls in exchange for favorable news cover of him and his family.

In most serious case, he is accused of promoting legislation that delivered hundreds of millions of dollars of profits to owner of a major telecom company while wielding behind--scenes editorial influence over firm’s popular news website.

Netanyahu has denied charges, claiming he is victim of an “attempted coup” by overaggressive police, biased prosecutors and a hostile media.

“It’s classic deep state argument,” said Gayil Tashir, a political scientist at Israel’s Hebrew University. Netanyahu claims “an unelected movement is trying to remove him from power just because he is a representative of right,” she said.

Netanyahu is t first Israeli leer to go on trial. Both former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and former President Moshe Katsav went to prison in 2010s — Olmert on corruption charges and Katsav for rape. But y stepped down to fight charges.

As opposition leer in 2008, Netanyahu led calls for Olmert to leave office, famously saying a leer “up to his neck” in legal troubles h business governing a country.

But as investigations have piled up, culminating with his indictment last vember, Netanyahu has changed his tune. He has rejected calls to resign while repeatedly lashing out at country’s legal system.

Among his favorite targets have been a former police chief and current attorney general — both Netanyahu appointees — and country’s Supreme Court. Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit recently filed a complaint to police over anymous threats sent to his mobile phone.

Netanyahu’s conspiratorial claims of victimhood have played well with his base of religious and nationalist supporters. But it is unclear wher y will hold up in court, given lack of evidence.

In courtroom, legal arguments are more likely to focus on his claims that his gifts were genuine shows of affection from close friends and that he never received anything in return for favors he is accused of offering.

case is expected to last for several years, given vast number of witnesses and documents that are expected to be presented.

Netanyahu has done his best to avoid this moment. During a three-year investigation, which was slowed by Netanyahu's trips abro and occasional security crises, he repeatedly claimed that investigators would “find thing because re is thing.”

He briefly tried, but failed, to win parliamentary immunity from prosecution. In March, his hand-picked justice minister delayed trial by two months, citing coronavirus restrictions.

This week, judges rejected Netanyahu’s request to stay home on Sunday and allow his lawyers to represent him. Netanyahu h argued that his presence was unnecessary and costly, and that having his security detail in courtroom would violate social-distancing requirements.

neless, he enters courtroom with renewed strength.

After three bruising elections over past year, Netanyahu was sworn into office this week for a fourth consecutive term.

All three elections were seen as referendums on his fitness for office, and all ended in delock. After most recent vote in March, his rival, Benny Gantz, appeared to have mustered eugh support in parliament to pass legislation that would have disqualified Netanyahu from serving as prime minister while under indictment.

But in a stunning turnaround, Gantz, citing fears of a fourth expensive election and coronavirus pandemic, agreed to shelve legislation and inste form a power-sharing government with Netanyahu.

Supreme Court cleared way for Netanyahu to remain in power. In a key ruling, it said an indicted politician may serve as prime minister — even though Israeli law requires all or office-holders to resign if charged with a crime.

Under ir deal, Netanyahu was forced to yield some powers to Gantz, with each wielding a veto over most key decisions. Gantz will hold title of “alternate prime minister,” and after 18 months, y will swap jobs.

Tashir, political scientist, said agreement creates troubling conflicts of interest. Netanyahu me sure he would be involved in appointments of key officials, including Supreme Court judges and next attorney general, who could influence any appeals process.

“Netanyahu’s perspective all this year was interfering with his own trial,” she said.

Under deal, alternate prime minister, like premier, will t be required to resign due to criminal charges. That could ensure that Netanyahu remains in office throughout his trial and even into a possible appeals process.

It will also give him opportunity to continue to attack legal system. Netanyahu’s eldest son Yair, who often acts as his ufficial spokesman, posted a profile picture on Twitter that spells word “prosecution” with a sewing machine as first letter. mess: case against prime minister is unfairly “stitched up.”

Amir Fuchs, a researcher at Israel Democracy Institute, said such attacks on courts have caused great dam by persuing many Israelis to question authority and integrity of Israel’s democratic institutions.

“It might be most harmful thing that has happened to Israel’s democracy, this one and a half years of attacking whole basis of rule of law,” he said. “I hope we will have a long rehabilitation from that. But we’re t even in start of it.”