Netanyahu scheduled to give testimony in corruption trial despite facing several challenges

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to take the witness stand for the first time on Tuesday in his ongoing case over alleged fraud and corruption in Israel.

The trial comes as Netanyahu’s government manages several conflicts with Iran and its proxy terrorist groups, as well as the fall of former Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime this weekend. 

The corruption trial kicked off in 2020, with prosecutors accusing Netanyahu of exchanging regulatory favors for positive press coverage in under-the-table dealings with media moguls.

So far, some 140 witnesses have taken the stand in the trial, though that falls short of the 300 witnesses initially expected. Those witnesses include high-profile figures, such as a former prime minister, former security chiefs and media personalities.

“We remain concerned by the prosecutor’s rush to seek arrest warrants, and, you know, some of the processes that have played out,” Deputy Pentagon press secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters in November. “And again, we’ve been very clear that the ICC does not have jurisdiction over this matter.”

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Penn., defended Netanyahu against war crime accusations from the International Criminal Court. (Left: Andrew Harnik/Getty Image; Right: JACQUELYN MARTIN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Several senior members of the Senate have said they would support sanctions against the ICC after it issued the arrest warrants. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.