Latest news with #NetanyahuTrial
News24
2 hours ago
- Politics
- News24
Trump demands Israel pardons ‘great hero' Netanyahu, or abandons corruption case against him
Donald Trump demanded that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu be pardoned or his trial abandoned. Israeli President Issac Herzog has the power to pardon Netanyahu. Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, are accused of accepting more than $260 000 worth of luxury goods in exchange for political favours. US President Donald Trump on Wednesday called for Israel to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or cancel his trial on corruption charges. Netanyahu was indicted in 2019 in Israel on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust - all of which Netanyahu denies. The trial began in 2020 and involves three criminal cases. He has pleaded not guilty. 'Bibi Netanyahu's trial should be CANCELLED, IMMEDIATELY, or a Pardon given to a Great Hero, who has done so much for the State (of Israel),' Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding that he had learned that Netanyahu was due to appear in court on Monday. Israeli media have reported that cross-examination of Netanyahu began on 3 June in a Tel Aviv court and was expected to take about a year to complete. READ | Israeli President Issac Herzog has the power to pardon Netanyahu but has been quoted by Israeli media as saying that a pardon is 'not currently on the table'. He also said that 'no such request had been made', according to the reports. Trump extolled Netanyahu and said in his post: 'It was the United States of America that saved Israel, and now it is going to be the United States of America that saves Bibi Netanyahu.' That appeared to be a reference to US involvement and support for Israeli strikes on Iran's nuclear programme. READ | US slaps sanctions on ICC judges in 'clear attempt to undermine' actions against Netanyahu, Israel Trump announced a ceasefire on Monday. It was unclear if Trump meant the US could do anything to aid Netanyahu in his legal Republican president described the case against the Israeli leader as a 'witch hunt', a term Trump has frequently applied to US attempts to prosecute him. The warm words contrasted with the rare rebuke he issued on Tuesday over Israel's post-ceasefire strikes on Iran. Israel, as soon as we made the deal, they came out and they dropped a load of bombs, the likes of which I've never seen before. The biggest load that we've seen. I'm not happy with Israel. Donald Trump Iran and Israel, he added, had been fighting 'so long and so hard that they don't know what the fuck they're doing'. AFP reported that Netanyahu's trial has been delayed many times since it began in May 2020, with the Israeli leader requesting postponements due to the war in Gaza and later conflict in Lebanon. In a first case, Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, are accused of accepting more than $260 000 worth of luxury goods such as cigars, jewellery and champagne from billionaires in exchange for political favours. Two other cases allege that Netanyahu attempted to negotiate more favourable coverage in two Israeli media outlets. Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump demands end to Netanyahu corruption ‘witch hunt'
Donald Trump has called for the ongoing criminal trial against Benjamin Netanyahu to be cancelled, describing it as a 'witch hunt'. The US president issued the call yesterday evening on behalf of his Israeli ally, who is due to return to court on Monday after being charged with bribery, fraud and breach of trust in 2019. 'Bibi Netanyahu's trial should be CANCELLED, IMMEDIATELY, or a Pardon given to a Great Hero, who has done so much for the State (of Israel),' Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. 'Such a WITCH HUNT, for a man who has given so much, is unthinkable to me,' he added. It is an unprecedented intervention by a US president in Israeli politics and comes after the case was halted due to the war in Iran. Mr Netanyahu's Likud party received a popularity boost in the wake of the bombing campaign, according to a new poll that found it would win 26 of the Knesset's 120 seats, up four from pre-war polls. Channel 12, however, reported that sources close to the Israeli prime minister had expected a larger bump and that his poor approval ratings may have delayed plans to hold a snap election after the war. The poll would leave Mr Netanyahu without a majority, likely forcing him into a coalition with ultra-nationalists who have called for the destruction of Gaza. Writing on Truth Social, Mr Trump said he was 'shocked' to hear that the case against his Israeli counterpart would continue on Monday after the country 'just had one of its Greatest Moments in History'. 'Bibi and I just went through HELL together, fighting a very tough and brilliant longtime enemy of Israel, Iran, and Bibi could not have been better, sharper, or stronger in his LOVE for the incredible Holy Land,' the US president said. 'We were fighting, literally, for the Survival of Israel, and there is nobody in Israel's History that fought harder or more competently than Bibi Netanyahu,' he continued. In December, Mr Netanyahu, who denies the charges, became the first Israeli prime minister to take the stand as a defendant in a corruption trial. The 75-year-old is accused of accepting tens of thousands of dollars' worth of cigars and champagne from a Hollywood producer in exchange for help with personal and business interests, and promoting favourable regulation for media moguls. Cross-examination of Mr Netanyahu began on June 3, 10 days before Israel launched its aerial campaign against Iran, which ended in a ceasefire on Tuesday. He described the charges as an 'ocean of absurdity' and claims the charges have been orchestrated by the media and a biased legal system. The trial has been delayed a number of times since it began in May 2020, including the ongoing war in Gaza and the invasion of Lebanon. Isaac Herzog, the Israeli president, has the power to pardon Mr Netanyahu should he be found guilty, though this is unlikely, according to media reports. Mr Trump, who faced his own legal troubles in the run up to the 2024 election, said the United States would 'save' Mr Nentanyahu from his legal troubles, though it is unclear what the US president could do to stop the trial. His support for Mr Netanyahu comes just days after he issued a rare public rebuke of Israel for continuing to bomb Iran, despite a ceasefire – negotiated by Mr Trump – coming into effect. Mr Trump accused both countries of not knowing 'what the f—- they're doing' after 12 days of war. The US joined the war on Saturday when it dropped 14 'bunker busting' bombs on Iran's key nuclear facilities, which Mr Trump said had been 'totally obliterated'.
The Independent
2 hours ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Trump calls for Netanyahu corruption trial to be scrapped claiming it's a ‘witch-hunt'
Donald Trump vowed to 'save' Benjamin Netanyahu as he hit out at the Israeli prime minister's ' witch-hunt ' corruption trial. Trump claimed Israel's prime minister was a 'great hero' and 'warrior' who faced politically motivated charges and called for the trial to be cancelled. The president's intervention comes as Netanyahu's cross-examination, which began on 4 June, is set to resume on Monday. He faces charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust and denies all of them. 'Such a WITCH HUNT, for a man who has given so much, is unthinkable to me. He deserves much better than this, and so does the State of Israel,' Trump posted on Truth Social. 'Bibi Netanyahu's trial should be CANCELLED, IMMEDIATELY, or a Pardon given to a Great Hero, who has done so much for the State. 'It was the United States of America that saved Israel, and now it is going to be the United States of America that saves Bibi Netanyahu.' Netanyahu was indicted in 2019. He pleaded not guilty after the trial, involving three criminal cases, began in 2020. In the first case, the Israeli PM is alleged to have committed fraud and breach of trust over claims he and his wife Sara received expensive gifts illicitly from a Hollywood media mogul, according to The Times of Israel. In the second, he is accused of fraud and breach trust over allegedly trying to persuade a newspaper publisher to give him positive coverage in exchange for legislation weakening the newspaper's key rival. In the third case Netanyahu is alleged to have passed legislation which financially benefited a telecommunications giant shareholder in return for more favourable media coverage. Trump frequently used the term 'witch-hunt' to describe his own legal battles prior to his re-election in November 2024. Israeli President Issac Herzog has the power to pardon Netanyahu but has been quoted by Israeli media saying that is 'not currently on the table.' It was unclear if Trump meant the US could do anything to aid Netanyahu, but it marked a change of tone from Tuesday when he claimed Israel and Iran 'don't know what the f*** they're doing.' Seven US stealth bombers dropped 14 30,000-pound bunker-busting bombs on Iran's nuclear facilities early on Sunday morning after Israel began striking Iranian targets on 13 June. Trump claimed Iran was days away from developing a nuclear weapon, and later announced a ceasefire agreement had been reached between Israel and Iran.
Telegraph
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
Trump demands end to Netanyahu corruption ‘witch hunt'
Donald Trump has called for the ongoing criminal trial against Benjamin Netanyahu to be cancelled, describing it as a 'witch hunt'. The US president issued the call yesterday evening on behalf of his Israeli ally, who is due to return to court on Monday after being charged with bribery, fraud and breach of trust in 2019. 'Bibi Netanyahu's trial should be CANCELLED, IMMEDIATELY, or a Pardon given to a Great Hero, who has done so much for the State (of Israel),' Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. 'Such a WITCH HUNT, for a man who has given so much, is unthinkable to me,' he added. It is an unprecedented intervention by a US president in Israeli politics and comes after the case was halted due to the war in Iran. Mr Netanyahu's Likud party received a popularity boost in the wake of the bombing campaign, according to a new poll that found it would win 26 of the Knesset's 120 seats, up four from pre-war polls. Channel 12, however, reported that sources close to the Israeli prime minister had expected a larger bump and that his poor approval ratings may have delayed plans to hold a snap election after the war. The poll would leave Mr Netanyahu without a majority, likely forcing him into a coalition with ultra-nationalists who have called for the destruction of Gaza. Writing on Truth Social, Mr Trump said he was 'shocked' to hear that the case against his Israeli counterpart would continue on Monday after the country 'just had one of its Greatest Moments in History'. 'Bibi and I just went through HELL together, fighting a very tough and brilliant longtime enemy of Israel, Iran, and Bibi could not have been better, sharper, or stronger in his LOVE for the incredible Holy Land,' the US president said. 'We were fighting, literally, for the Survival of Israel, and there is nobody in Israel's History that fought harder or more competently than Bibi Netanyahu,' he continued. In December, Mr Netanyahu, who denies the charges, became the first Israeli prime minister to take the stand as a defendant in a corruption trial. Cigars and champagne The 75-year-old is accused of accepting tens of thousands of dollars' worth of cigars and champagne from a Hollywood producer in exchange for help with personal and business interests, and promoting favourable regulation for media moguls. Cross-examination of Mr Netanyahu began on June 3, 10 days before Israel launched its aerial campaign against Iran, which ended in a ceasefire on Tuesday. He described the charges as an 'ocean of absurdity' and claims the charges have been orchestrated by the media and a biased legal system. The trial has been delayed a number of times since it began in May 2020, including the ongoing war in Gaza and the invasion of Lebanon. Isaac Herzog, the Israeli president, has the power to pardon Mr Netanyahu should he be found guilty, though this is unlikely, according to media reports. Mr Trump, who faced his own legal troubles in the run up to the 2024 election, said the United States would 'save' Mr Nentanyahu from his legal troubles, though it is unclear what the US president could do to stop the trial. His support for Mr Netanyahu comes just days after he issued a rare public rebuke of Israel for continuing to bomb Iran, despite a ceasefire – negotiated by Mr Trump – coming into effect. Mr Trump accused both countries of not knowing 'what the f—- they're doing' after 12 days of war. The US joined the war on Saturday when it dropped 14 'bunker busting' bombs on Iran's key nuclear facilities, which Mr Trump said had been 'totally obliterated'.
Al Arabiya
7 hours ago
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Trump calls for corruption trial of Israeli PM Netanyahu to be canceled
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday called for Israel to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or cancel his corruption trial, saying the US would save him like it did his country. Netanyahu was indicted in 2019 in Israel on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust - all of which Netanyahu denies. The trial began in 2020 and involves three criminal cases. He has pleaded not guilty. 'Bibi Netanyahu's trial should be CANCELLED, IMMEDIATELY, or a Pardon given to a Great Hero, who has done so much for the State (of Israel),' Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding that he had learned that Netanyahu was due to appear in court on Monday. Israeli media have reported that cross-examination of Netanyahu began on June 3 in a Tel Aviv court and was expected to take about a year to complete. Israeli President Issac Herzog has the power to pardon Netanyahu but has been quoted by Israeli media as saying that a pardon is 'not currently on the table.' He also said that 'no such request had been made,' according to the reports. Trump extolled Netanyahu as a 'warrior' but also said in his post: 'It was the United States of America that saved Israel, and now it is going to be the United States of America that saves Bibi Netanyahu.' That appeared to be a reference to US involvement and support for Israeli strikes on Iran's nuclear program. It was unclear if Trump meant the US could do anything to aid Netanyahu in his legal battle. The Republican president described the case against the Israeli leader as a 'witch hunt,' a term Trump has frequently applied to US attempts to prosecute him. The warm words contrasted with the rare rebuke he issued on Tuesday over Israel's post-ceasefire strikes on Iran. 'Israel, as soon as we made the deal, they came out and they dropped a load of bombs, the likes of which I've never seen before. The biggest load that we've seen. I'm not happy with Israel,' he told reporters. Iran and Israel, he added, had been fighting 'so long and so hard that they don't know what the fuck they're doing.'
