This political bomb was not supposed to blow up. It was detonated by accident Dec. 6 without advance warning in the Jerusalem District Courthouse where former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is standing trial on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust. The former prime minister’s defense attorney, Boaz Ben Tzur, was cross-examining the state’s star witness Nir Hefetz, previously one of the Netanyahu family’s closest aides, asking him whether he recalled what he had told police investigators regarding Netanyahu’s competence to lead Israel. Hefetz had total recall. Too late, a whispered comment from one of Netanyahu’s defense team tipped Ben Tzur off to the severe damage Hefetz’s answer could cause his client’s image.
Hefetz recounted in court what he had told the police, a tale that was not included in the charge sheet against Netanyahu because it was not a criminal offense, but its public blowback potential is clear. Netanyahu remains a public figure as head of the Knesset opposition and is relentlessly trying to bring down the current government and return to office. The account by one of Netanyahu’s closest confidants could tarnish his image.