Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in court in Tel Aviv on Tuesday to testify for the first time in his corruption case.
Netanyahu, who has repeatedly sought to delay his appearance in court, is the first sitting prime minister of Israel to face a criminal trial.
He faces charges of bribery, fraud and breach of public trust in three separate cases.
At Tuesday’s hearing, the Israeli premier is expected to take the witness stand for the first time, responding to the allegations and testimonies made against him, including from former close aides.
Several people, including anti-Netanyahu protesters and his supporters, gathered outside the court, while some right-wing lawmakers attended the session, which was held in an underground chamber for security reasons.
An AFP journalist outside the court reported that the prime minister’s supporters chanted “Netanyahu, the people support you”, while protesters who have been rallying against him for months chanted “Bibi to prison”.
“I will speak in court. I am not running away,” Netanyahu said at a press conference Monday evening.
“It has been eight years that I have waited for this day, eight years of wanting to present the truth, eight years waiting to completely demolish these absurd and baseless accusations against me,” he said, labelling it a “relentless witch hunt”.
