The case - also known as the Bezeq-Walla affair - centers on allegations that Netanyahu granted regulatory benefits to Bezeq's controlling shareholder in exchange for favorable coverage.
The complaint further criticized Israel Police, noting that officers were present at the scene, but did not intervene when the display was presented.
As a result, Netanyahu is now set to testify only on Tuesday and Wednesday, from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. - a shortened schedule confirmed by the court.
“Almost every issue that is discussed is about whether it is good for Netanyahu or bad for Netanyahu,” he added. “The issue itself doesn’t matter.”
Attorney Kobi Sudri discussed the matter on 103FM with hosts Anat Davidov and Prof. Aryeh Eldad, raising doubts about the legal validity and intent behind the pardon request.
Benjamin Netanyahu has formally asked President Isaac Herzog for a pre-verdict pardon in his corruption trial, setting off a sensitive legal review with major political implications.
The prime minister's pardon contained a not-so-veiled offer: Let me have a pardon and I will turn down the pressure on the legal establishment.
Prosecutor Yehudit Tirosh presses Prime Minister Netanyahu in Case 4000, questioning his stance on editorial influence and the importance of internet coverage.
Netanyahu denied he directed media coverage of his wife in Case 4000, rejecting prosecution claims and calling state witness accounts exaggerated during renewed cross-examination.
Netanyahu argued that while he focused on creating a more “diverse” media environment, he never refrained from routine conversations with journalists about coverage.
When two men with such long shadows allow personal animus to spill into national policy and public diplomacy, the consequences extend beyond any domestic score-settling.
