A former intelligence agent, now a producer, testifies in the corruption trial of the acting Israeli prime minister
Arnon Milchan, a billionaire film producer, appeared in court in Jerusalem on Monday to testify about “excessive” gifts he had sent to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara. Milchan, founder of production house Regency and known for standout films, revealed that some of these gifts worth around $200,000 might have been too generous, though he didn’t believe they were illegal.
Friendship and connections over the years
Arnon Milchan established ties with Netanyahu during his work in Israeli intelligence in the 1960s. During his testimony, Milchan connected via video link from the UK, where he was due to health issues. He claimed that the gifts he gave to the Netanyahus were a gesture of friendship and that he never received anything in return.
Coded gifts and alleged favors
In his testimony, Milchan revealed that the Netanyahus made “routine” requests for gifts and developed a code for different items. They used terms like “leaves” for cigars, “roses” for champagne, and “dwarfs” for costume shirts. However, Milchan did not clarify whether Netanyahu played any role in favors such as proposing a tax liability reduction law or obtaining a long-term U.S. residency visa.
Court presence and corruption allegations
Netanyahu was present in the courtroom on both Sunday and Monday, and Milchan greeted him with a “Shalom, Bibi!” While testifying, Sara Netanyahu was in the UK, in the conference room of the Old Ship Hotel in Brighton, accompanying Milchan. Prosecutors have leveled allegations of corruption and breach of trust against Netanyahu, to which he vehemently denies any wrongdoing. He contends that the media and judicial system are biased against him, leading to what he perceives as unjust persecution.
For more articles like this, click here
