Filber to Testify Against Netanyahu for Second Day

By Staff, Agencies

The public corruption trial of former Zionist prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu continued on Monday with the second day of testimony by former top aide turned witness Shlomo Filber testifying against the former prime minister.

Last week, Filber said Netanyahu gave him the order to do what Bezeq and Walla owner Shaul Elovitch wanted on several issues.

Filber specifically flagged for the occupied al-Quds District Court that the Bezeq-YES merger, issues of pricing reforms, and other telecommunications-related reforms to increase competition were matters which Netanyahu mentioned to him in the key meeting which brought the case forward.

As Filber continued his six hours on the stand, he made several statements diluting some of his accusations against Netanyahu which the defense may later try to use to obtain an acquittal.

Netanyahu himself attended the trial for the first time since mid-November, mostly not showing emotion and remaining cross-legged, but occasionally having his son, Avner, pass notes to his lawyers, and smirking when Filber slammed the police.

The former top Netanyahu aide testified about the key meeting at the heart of the media bribery allegations in Case 4000 the Bezeq-Walla Affair, saying the then prime minister gave him three orders regarding satisfying Elovitch while standing as they finished the meeting.

According to the prosecution, the mix of these three orders, the largest of which was the Bezeq-YES merger, and some related issues, benefited Elovitch to the tune of around $556.8 million.