Trump also called for a pardon for Netanyahu during a speech to Israel’s parliament last month, when he made a brief visit to promote his ceasefire plan for the war in Gaza.
In Wednesday’s letter to President Isaac Herzog, Trump called the corruption case “political, unjustified prosecution”.
Hadash-Ta’al chairman Ayman Odeh calls on fellow opposition factions to join together to topple Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government “as soon as possible.”
Addressing reporters ahead of his party’s weekly faction meeting in the Knesset, Odeh says that the government has three aims during the current parliamentary session, “harming the West Bank…promoting the judicial coup…and preventing the Arab population from running in the next elections.”
Yet such promises count for little at a time when Israel’s current government continues to bomb, shell, and starve Palestinians in Gaza, all while taking rapid steps toward formally annexing the West Bank. Nor has the opposition — neither its parliamentary representatives, like the Democrats, or the protest movement in the streets — shown the ability to turn growing discontent over the government’s handling of the war and abandonment of the hostages into a full-throated defense of Palestinians’ humanity.
Until they do, it is hard to imagine just how different the next government, whoever comprises it, will be when it comes to the prospect of peace and equality for all the people in this land.
In Case 1000, Netanyahu is on trial for a conflict of interest relating to billionaire Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan, who was his close friend and confidant while he served as communications minister from 2013 to 2015.
Allegedly, the prime minister received thousands of dollars worth of champagne and cigars from Milchan and from Australian billionaire James Packer, who was a friend to both.
Netanyahu, allegedly, pushed for legislative and regulatory changes that would have been beneficial to Milchan during that time.
As condemnations come in from around the world over Israel’s attack on Hamas negotiators in Doha, the Israeli prime minister has returned to court to resume testimony in his corruption trial.
Footage showed Netanyahu entering the courtroom in Tel Aviv as proceedings in the trial resumed for the first time in more than a month.
(September 8, 2025)
Netanyahu‘s criminal trial hearings at the Tel Aviv District Court, scheduled for Monday, were canceled after the terror shooting occurred.
Israel‘s High Court of Justice on Monday issued an injunction blocking the ouster of Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara after a unanimous Cabinet vote to fire the woman currently prosecuting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for corruption.
Former attorney general Avichai Mandelblit warned Monday that the government’s plan to oust his successor, Gali Baharav-Miara, could result in the “complete destruction” of Israeli democracy.
“This is a recipe for complete destruction of democracy and the rule of law in the State of Israel,” he told Kan public radio when asked about the possibility that Baharav-Miara’s potential replacement would scrap Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ongoing years-long corruption trial.
“The hearing scheduled for today allows the government to dismiss the attorney general and any future advisor for foreign and corrupt considerations. In response to the fact that the advisor prevented illegal actions, ordered an investigation or prosecution of a coalition member, refused to halt a criminal proceeding against a sitting government member, or as part of a ‚political deal‘ to ensure the survival of the government,” she wrote.
(July 13, 2025)
The decision by Judge Noam Sohlberg came hours after Justice Minister Yariv Levin and Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli filed a notice to the court asking it to reject petitions against the new procedure and implied that the coalition could ignore the court if it ruled against it on the matter.
Two political explosive hearings have been scheduled by the far right and racist coalition for July 14, in proceedings that could both set historical precedents. On that day, the Knesset will meet to vote on expelling Hadash-Ta’al faction chair Ayman Odeh from parliament, while a ministerial committee is also scheduled to hold a hearing on firing embattled Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara.
U.S. President Donald Trump has called for Israel to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or cancel his corruption trial, saying the U.S. 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.
Netanyahu’s claim that the attack was about preventing an immediate threat to Israeli national security is not just facetious, it’s fictitious. I think it was really an attempt to realign the world behind Israel.
The reason Netanyahu felt he had to do that, even at the cost of starting a full-fledged war, was that Israel had exhausted pretty much all of its options in Gaza after a nearly two-year long genocidal campaign. From military action that has failed to return the hostages, to the new Gaza Humanitarian Foundation “aid centers” [that have so far failed to facilitate widespread ethnic cleansing] — nothing Israel was doing in Gaza seemed to catch on. So Netanyahu did what he has done throughout the past two years: open up another front.
Iran was much easier for him [than other fronts] because the idea that the Islamic Republic must be dealt with using military means is perhaps the broadest, most solid consensus in Israeli politics. I think Netanyahu wanted to make political gains and ensure his personal status and future — above all, postponing his trial — as well as try to drag the world into this conflict by forcing, at the very least, the United States to side with Israel.
(March 19, 2020)
The latest reports are that Gantz has agreed to a unity government, with Netanyahu still temporarily in command. This would be a shameful surrender on Gantz’s part. The illusion of democracy would remain. In reality, Blue and White would be ratifying Netanyahu’s moves in the midst of the pandemic panic.
Despite a crisis that makes an early election seem more likely, Likud members remain confident that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu see things unfold differently. The speculation includes scenarios ranging from a partial hostage deal to a significant security event.
רה“מ לשעבר אמר ל“מוריה וברקו“ כי צריך לעשות עסקה לשחרור החטופים גם במחיר של הפסקת המלחמה“. על נתניהו: „הכריז מלחמה על ישראל; קורא למרי אזרחי“. בליכוד תקפו: „לא נקבל הטפות מוסר ממי שעסוק בלקרוע את החברה הישראלית ונפגש למעלה מ-30 פעמים עם חברו הפדופיל ג׳פרי אפשטיין, גם אחרי שהורשע בשידול קטינה לזנות“
Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak has called for nationwide protests to remove Benjamin Netanyahu, telling Channel 13 the current leader has „declared war on Israel.“
Barak demanded Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara force Netanyahu‘s recusal, referencing a delayed High Court ruling from January that blocked legislation protecting the PM from removal.
NIF grantee Zulat, an Israeli think tank advancing liberal values recently issued a formal call to Israel’s attorney general, state prosecutor, and police commissioner to open a new criminal investigation into Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for possible obstruction of justice, misuse of the power and breach of trust.
The call comes on the heels of revelations of a new affidavit submitted to the High Court by Shin Bet security service chief Ronen Bar to stave off his dismissal.
– I authorized, following a request from the IDF Chief of Staff, the opening of an investigation into the theft of classified military documents and their transfer to media outlets.
– I refused to draft a legal opinion whose aim was effectively to prevent the possibility of the Prime Minister continuing to testify in his trial.
– The draft of the internal Shin Bet review was submitted to the Prime Minister. It refers to the service’s failure to prevent the massacre, while also presenting the long-standing policy of the political leadership regarding the Gaza Strip and the exceptional and repeated warnings delivered by the Shin Bet to the political echelon throughout 2023 – which were ignored.
– A letter was attached to the review, addressed to the Prime Minister, explaining how Hamas’s military buildup occurred before the eyes of the State of Israel, funded by Qatar and enabled by a defensive policy, and highlighting the need for a state commission of inquiry to investigate all aspects of the road that led to October 7.
Ferner heißt es in der Erklärung, Bar habe es abgelehnt, Maßnahmen zu ergreifen, welche zu Verzögerungen in einem gegen Netanjahu laufenden Korruptionsprozess geführt hätten. Dies sei auch der wahre Grund für seine vom Obersten Gericht gestoppte Entlassung als Geheimdienstchef, ließ Bar verlautbaren. Zudem beschuldigte Bar den Premier, von ihm persönliche Loyalität verlangt zu haben. Es bestand keine Zweifel daran, dass Bar im Falle einer Verfassungskrise Netanjahu und nicht dem Obersten Gerichtshof hätte dienen müssen, heißt es in der Erklärung.
Die Generalstaatsanwaltschaft publizierte das brisante Dokument Bars.
Known as “Qatargate,” the case hinges on the claim that Mr. Netanyahu’s media advisers were paid by a representative of Qatar to promote Qatari interests in the Israeli news media. That claim has angered many Israelis because it created the perception of a conflict of interest; for years, Qatar has hosted leaders of Hamas.
Mr. Netanyahu’s recent efforts to fire the head of the Shin Bet, the Israeli internal security agency, has compounded the furor. It was the Shin Bet that first instigated the investigations into Mr. Netanyahu’s aides.
(March 31, 2025)
The 20th session of the testimony of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in his criminal corruption trial ended unexpectedly early on Wednesday, as suspicions swirled around the involvement of figures close to Netanyahu with Qatar.
(March 31, 2025)
The Israel Police on Monday announced that it had arrested two employees of the Prime Minister‘s Office as part of the „Qatar-gate“ investigation.
The two have been identified as Eli Feldstein and Yonatan Urich, with the arrest coming on the 20th day of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu‘s testimony in his corruption case at the District Court in Tel Aviv.
Ihre Gegner sagen häufig einfach nur abfällig «die Frau», wenn sie Gali Baharav-Miara meinen. Als könnten sie weder den Namen noch den Beruf der 65-jährigen Generalstaatsanwältin über die Lippen bringen; als wäre ihre Existenz eine einzige Zumutung. Andere beschimpfen sie als Volksfeindin oder drohen ihr mit dem Tod.
“The [no-confidence] motion does not seek to advance trust but rather loyalty to the political echelon, not governability but rather unlimited regime power, as part of a broader process to weaken the judicial branch and deter the entire professional echelon,” charged Baharav Miara, referring to the government’s ongoing contentious judicial overhaul program.
After the expected vote of no confidence on Sunday, the case will be passed on to a selection committee chaired by former Supreme Court president Asher Grunis. This committee could include Foreign Minister Gideon Sa‘ar or Knesset (Israeli parliament) Speaker Amir Ohana as former justice ministers, although this may be contested in the Supreme Court as either personalities are part of the current coalition.
Histadrut labor union chief Arnon Bar-David warns that he won’t sit idly if the government doesn’t abide by High Court rulings after ministers dismissed the injunction issued by the top legal body. However, Bar-David doesn’t explicitly say that he’ll launch a labor strike if the government ignores the High Court, but …
Defence minister‘s threats to annex Gaza distract from legislative coup d‘état at home
Document published by justice minister, hours after government voted to oust Shin Bet chief, calls Gali Baharav-Miara ‘long arm of the opposition,’ says she runs a tyrannical authority
Barak, who previously served as attorney general, has recently explored the possibility of a plea deal in Netanyahu’s corruption cases. “I believe an agreement can be reached,” he said. Once close to Netanyahu, Barak had often praised his commitment to the rule of law.
(March 19, 2025)
After Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tweets an attack on the “leftist deep state’s weapon[ization] of the justice system[s]” in the US and Israel, President Isaac Herzog’s office quickly posts a rebuttal.
“Israel’s strong and independent judicial system is an asset to our democracy, and the president of Israel is very proud of it,” Herzog’s office tweets.
(October 2, 2024)
Einhorn’s career took a decisive turn when he transitioned into the political realm as Netanyahu’s strategic advisor and chief creative director. From 2019 to 2022, he advised on five of Netanyahu’s election campaigns, where his creative strategies were instrumental in securing victory. This shift into politics established Einhorn as one of Israel’s top political consultants, leading him to advise leaders across continents in recent years’ most high-stakes geopolitical and election campaigns.
In addition to his political work, Einhorn has contributed to supporting Israel’s security efforts.