Netanyahu Trial Hits Climax As Filber Testifies

By Staff, Agencies

The public corruption trial of former Zionist Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to hit another major high point with a top witness due to testify Wednesday morning and the former prime minister due to attend for the first time since mid-November.

Along with former top Netanyahu aide-turned-witness Nir Hefetz who previously testified, Shlomo Filber, who was a Netanyahu campaign chief and later his Communications Ministry director-general, is one of the prosecution’s two main witnesses for Case 4000, the Bezeq-Walla Affair.

If Hefetz provided the prosecution’s narrative for allegations against Netanyahu on the Walla side of the case, Filber is expected to close the circle by providing the prosecution narrative against the ex-premier on the Bezeq side.

In fact, Filber’s testimony could be so damaging that avoiding his testimony was one of many reasons why Netanyahu was hoping to cut a deal with former attorney-general Avichai Mandelblit before the end of January.

Now Netanyahu will have to look into the eyes of another former close aide pointing the finger directly at him, while also staring at new Attorney-General nominee Gali Baharav-Miara – who lacks the back-history and appreciation of him that he had from Mandelblit – as being a new source of power over his fate if he wants to try to cut a deal in the spring or summer.

He said he executed Netanyahu’s policy changes in favor of Elovitch which he knew were a “national disaster,” but that he went along, was caught up in the glory of his new title and power.

Filber, along with other communications officials, will testify that any reforms happened in spite of Netanyahu, and not because of him.

His turning witness also led to Hefetz turning against Netanyahu.