A billionaire Hollywood mogul took the stand for a second day on Monday in Benjamin Netanyahu\u2019s corruption trial, acknowledging that the long list of champagne, cigars and jewelry he systematically gave to the Israeli prime minister may have been excessive.<\/p>\n
\n
Arnon Milchan, whose production credits include \u201cPretty Woman,\u201d \u201c12 Years a Slave,\u201d and \u201cBohemian Rhapsody,\u201d is a key witness in one of three cases brought against Netanyahu. Prosecutors are trying to prove that Netanyahu committed fraud and breach of trust.<\/p>\n
Milchan, 78, has been testifying by videoconference from Brighton, England, which is near where he is based.<\/p>\n
Prosecutors hope his testimony, which began Sunday and is expected to last some two weeks, will provide details about the abundance of gifts given to Netanyahu and his wife. The gifts, the prosecutors maintain, led to favors from Netanyahu that advanced Milchan\u2019s interests.<\/p>\n
Netanyahu\u2019s lawyers have said Milchan\u2019s gifts were friendly gestures.<\/p>\n
In his first day of testimony, Milchan described a friendship that included some gifts to the Netanyahus that turned into regular requests and \u201ctransformed into a routine.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said the routine became so frequent that he and the Netanyahus developed code words for the gifts. Cigars were known as \u201cleaves,\u201d champagne was known as \u201croses,\u201d and luxury dress shirts were nicknamed \u201cdwarves.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said he had instructed his aides to give the Netanyahus \u201cwhatever they want\u201d and was assured by the prime minister that there was nothing illegal going on.<\/p>\n
On Monday, Milchan said the gifts didn\u2019t affect his friendship with the Netanyahus until a police investigation was opened and at which point, he said he realized the gifts were \u201cexcessive.\u201d<\/p>\n
Asked whether he had ever refused a request for gifts, Milchan said: \u201cNot that I remember.\u201d<\/p>\n
Milchan also again stressed that he considered the Netanyahus friends, but recounted that he told police he felt uncomfortable that his gifts were not reciprocated.<\/p>\n
According to the indictment against Netanyahu, Milchan gave Netanyahu and his wife a \u201csupply line\u201d of lavish gifts valued at nearly $200,000.<\/p>\n
The indictment accuses Netanyahu of using his influential perch to assist Milchan to secure a U.S. visa extension by drawing on his diplomatic contacts, including former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.<\/p>\n
Prosecutors also accuse Netanyahu of\u00a0working to push legislation\u00a0that would have granted Milchan millions in tax breaks.<\/p>\n
Milchan testified Monday that he had turned to Netanyahu and others for help about the visa extension. He said Kerry called him one day and met with him at a hotel. Describing Kerry as a good friend, he said he was told Kerry could not help.<\/p>\n
The prosecution and defense lawyers have been questioning Milchan in a hotel conference room in Brighton. While no journalists are allowed there, Netanyahu\u2019s wife Sara, on a private visit to Britain, sat in for a second straight day.<\/p>\n
Prosecutors have demanded that Sara Netanyahu not make eye contact with Milchan, fearing she could sway the witness.<\/p>\n
The testimony is being aired in a Jerusalem courtroom for judges and other lawyers \u2014 who can also ask questions of Milchan \u2014 and for journalists and other attendees to watch.<\/p>\n
Netanyahu, who has attended some of the hearings during his trial, was at the courtroom both on Sunday and Monday. Milchan, who is not charged in the case, greeted him in Hebrew over the two-way video broacdcast, using Netanyahu\u2019s nickname: \u201cShalom, Bibi!\u201d<\/p>\n
Milchan is testifying in one of three cases being brought against Netanyahu. The other two, which include charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust, accuse Netanyahu of exchanging regulatory favors with powerful media moguls for more positive coverage.<\/p>\n
Netanyahu denies wrongdoing, claiming he is the victim of a witch hunt orchestrated by a liberal media and a biased justice system.<\/p>\n
Netanyahu\u2019s legal woes have dogged him politically, putting his fitness to rule while on trial at the center of a political crisis that sent Israelis to the polls five times in under four years.<\/p>\n
They also have fueled accusations by critics that Netanyahu is pushing\u00a0a contentious government plan\u00a0to overhaul Israel\u2019s judiciary as a way to escape the charges. Netanyahu denies those accusations.<\/p>\n
The trial, which began in 2020 and has still not heard from Netanyahu himself, has featured more than 40 prosecution witnesses, including some of Netanyahu\u2019s closest former confidants who turned against the premier.<\/p>\n
Witness accounts have shed light not only on the three cases against Netanyahu but also revealed sensational details about his character and his family\u2019s reputation for living off the largesse of taxpayers and wealthy supporters.<\/p>\n
Milchan\u2019s aide, Hadas Klein, testified last year that\u00a0the Netanyahu family \u201cloves gifts.\u201d<\/p>\n
The idea of a plea bargain has repeatedly surfaced, but prosecutors for now appear determined to see the trial through, despite reports last week that the judges warned them that the more serious crime of bribery will be hard to prove.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Read the full article here<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A billionaire Hollywood mogul took the stand for a second day on Monday in Benjamin Netanyahu\u2019s corruption trial, acknowledging that the long list of champagne, cigars and jewelry he systematically gave to the Israeli prime minister may have been excessive. Arnon Milchan, whose production credits include \u201cPretty Woman,\u201d \u201c12 Years a Slave,\u201d and \u201cBohemian Rhapsody,\u201d […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3336,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[76],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-3335","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-leadership"},"yoast_head":"\n
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