Netanyahu pleads not guilty in corruption trial

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has formally pleaded not guilty to bribery, fraud and breach of trust in a high-profile corruption trial that comes weeks before Israel is scheduled to hold nationwide elections. 

“I confirm the response filed by my lawyers,” Netanyahu told the Jerusalem District Court on Monday, referring to the written not-guilty plea filed by his defense team. Some 20 minutes into the hearing, the prime minister thanked the bench and exited the courtroom. 

In the most serious of the three cases against him, the state prosecution says Netanyahu — Israel’s first sitting prime minister to be tried in court — accepted lavish gifts from wealthy businessmen and offered regulatory bribes in exchange for favorable media coverage.

Netanyahu, who secured a historic fifth term as prime minister last year, denies all wrongdoing and has called the trial a political “witch hunt” orchestrated by his leftist rivals, the media and state prosecutors. His defense team has repeatedly sought to delay the trial or dismiss the charges.