The Justice Ministry denied on Thursday that Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara had told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Defense Attorneys that she was not interested in mediation with a judge for a plea deal over his ongoing corruption trials.
“This is speculation, no decision has yet been made,” the Justice Ministry told The Jerusalem Post.
Kan News had reported on Thursday morning about the supposed decision which would ostensibly soon be delivered to the court, which followed the suggestion of a judge in Case 2000 for mediation for a plea bargain. Netanyahu was reportedly told that he should reach out directly to the Attorney-General if he was interested in a plea bargain, and that mediation was unnecessary.
The lawyer of Shaul Elovitch, who is implicated in Case 4000 over allegations of a quid pro quo of regulation changes by Netanyahu in return for positive news coverage, also proposed mediation on Tuesday.
Case 1000, a corruption trial in which Netanyahu is charged with fraud and breach of trust over gifts and the alleged facilitation of a business merger, resumed on Monday with the cross-examination of Deputy Superintendent Shlomo Meshulam.
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU arrives at the Jerusalem District Court, May, 2022. (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)Meshulam was the head of the investigation team for Case 1000 and 2000, according to a Justice Ministry spokesperson. Another investigator is set to testify after Meshulam.
On Sunday, Kan reported that the list of witnesses in the trial would be reduced to around 60. Such a move would shorten the trial significantly.
Netanyahu has three ongoing corruption trials against him. In Case 1000, Netanyahu is accussed of receiving gifts worth NIS 7 million over the course of nine years from Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan and Australian businessman James Packer.
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