Haaretz: Due to security allegations… Netanyahu tries again to evade appearing before the court in the corruption cases
The Israeli Haaretz newspaper revealed that the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked the General Security Service (Shabak) to give an opinion that would allow him not to appear to testify in his trial.
Netanyahu is scheduled to testify in court on December 2 on corruption charges including bribery, breach of trust and fraud.
Haaretz said in a report on Monday evening, “Netanyahu’s office recently asked the Shin Bet to write a security opinion that would allow him to avoid testifying in his trial.”
The office justified its request by saying that Netanyahu cannot stay for a long time in fixed places whose access is known to the public in advance.
The Shin Bet refused to give such an opinion, and began an extensive investigation into whether the testimony could be conducted as planned, while maintaining the prime minister’s security requirements, according to the same source.
According to Haaretz, in recent days, Netanyahu has been under pressure from his family members and those close to him to dismiss Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar.
Haaretz quoted unnamed senior officials in the security establishment as saying that they believe that the pressure exerted to dismiss Bar immediately stems from his refusal to provide an opinion that would satisfy Netanyahu in this regard.
According to the sources, the decision of the head of the Shin Bet to study the security feasibility of holding the trial led to the acceleration of the demand for his dismissal.
This isn’t the first time that Netanyahu has tried to evade appearing before the court, as the official Israeli Broadcasting Authority said a week ago that he renew requested to postpone his testimony in his trial, this time for two and a half months, claiming that he is busy with the war of extermination that Israel is waging against the Gaza Strip and Lebanon.
Netanyahu’s first trial session was held on May 24, 2020.
He isn’t legally required to resign unless convicted by the Supreme Court, a decision that could take months to pass.
Opposition leaders accuse Netanyahu of insisting on continuing the genocide in Gaza and creating crises in order to evade his trial, and to try to achieve a victory that might save him from trial and maintain his position despite his failures since October 7, 2023.
