The trial of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s wife for alleged fraud and breach of trust has begun.
At 1:30PM, Mrs. Sara Netanyahu appeared at the Magistrate’s Court in Jerusalem, where she and her lawyer Yossi Cohen arrived. Netanyahu was sitting on the dock in a case known as “the resident’s affair,” in which the state prosecutor accuses her of accepting fraud, breach of trust and deceit.
According to the prosecution, Netanyahu ordered meals at the expense of the state to the Prime Minister’s Residence, while there is an official chef on salary. At Mrs. Netanyahu side is of Ezra Seidoff, who served as Chief of Operations of the PM’s Residence back then. He too is facing criminal charges.
The Netanyahus have denied any wrongdoing, and say they are the victims of a political witch hunt driven by a hostile media.
At the start of the meeting, Mrs. Netanyahu’s attorney said that they were trying to take a simple case and build it up to a complicated matter.
In his appeal to the judge, attorney Cohen said that this was a case that should not have led to an indictment. He also claimed that the material was transferred to him in the unorganized fashion, and among other things, he did not accept the agreement signed between the prosecution and the state’s witness.
At the same time, Seidoff’s attorney cited his client had been suspended from his job for three years, as he was humiliated and not permitted to enter the Prime Minister’s Office in addition to being discriminated against.
The beginning of the discussion was mainly around the technical issue whether to allow the composition of three judges in the case as demanded by the prosecutor’s office or whether to stay with one. Seidoff’s lawyer said that the public standing of Ms. Netanyahu should not cast on Seidoff to face three judges with all the implications.
After several minutes in which the judge heard the parties, he asked the lawyers of the parties to approach him and whispered something to them. After a few minutes it became clear that the judge had suggested to the parties to come to his office in a little over a month and try to reach an agreement. Regarding the number of judges to hear the case, it was not decided, and the judge ruled that a notice on the matter would be sent to the parties.
Sara Netanyahu has long faced allegations of extravagant living and abusive behavior. In 2016, a court ruled she abused an employee and awarded the man $42,000 in damages. Other former employees have accused her of mistreatment, charges the Netanyahus have vehemently denied, and of excessive spending and charging the state for her private, expensive tastes.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem / AP)
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One Response
The Netanyahu family have given many years of service to the jewish nation
They have sacrificed the ultimate sacrifice when they gave us their brother in entebbe
This court case is a shame and disgrace so he took a few cigars, she ordered in food ,they misappropriated some furniture
Lets say all the above is true
Just lets look at ourselves
Have we never made a private phone call at work, used a pen, taken a sheet of paper for our own use, miss used company time ????????
On a pro rata basis its the same thing they gave us a brother and years of their lives and they enjoyed unauthorized perks
Please this is a political manoeuvre that should make us sick to the core
I must declare I know very little about Israeli politics and sit on the fence as far as the state is concerned due to lack of understanding however I am certain that the Netanyahu family have done more than most for the Jewish nation around the world
This treatment of them, after what they have given us,is disgraceful
Where is our gratitude???????