Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was back in the spotlight this week as his long-running corruption trial resumed in Tel Aviv, drawing renewed international attention and sparking a wave of political drama both inside and outside Israel’s borders. On October 15, 2025, Netanyahu appeared before the Tel Aviv District Court to testify after a one-month pause due to the Jewish holidays and his recent trip to New York for the United Nations General Assembly. The high-profile hearing comes at a fraught moment, with Israel still reeling from the ongoing Gaza conflict and Netanyahu facing mounting legal and political challenges.
The resumption of the trial was anything but routine. According to Israel’s Channel 12 and other local media outlets, several senior ministers and members of the Knesset from Netanyahu’s conservative Likud party arrived at the courthouse to show support, a coordinated display of solidarity ahead of the party’s upcoming primaries. The scene outside the tribunal was charged: Netanyahu, who has served as prime minister for a record 18 years, kept a smiling face as he and his entourage were heckled by protesters, underscoring the divisive nature of his leadership and legal woes.
The charges Netanyahu faces are serious and varied. In Case 1000, the prime minister and his wife, Sara, are accused of accepting luxury gifts—champagne, cigars, and jewelry—worth more than $260,000 from wealthy businessmen in exchange for political favors. Case 2000 centers on alleged negotiations with Arnon Mozes, publisher of the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth, to secure more favorable media coverage. Case 4000, considered the most severe, alleges that Netanyahu provided regulatory benefits to Shaul Elovitch, the former owner of the news site Walla and the telecommunications company Bezeq, in return for positive press coverage. Netanyahu has steadfastly denied all charges, insisting he is the victim of a political plot to unseat a democratically elected right-wing leader. As he put it, “I have done nothing wrong. These charges are baseless and politically motivated.”
Despite the gravity of the accusations, Netanyahu is not required under Israeli law to resign unless convicted by the country’s high court—a process that, given the complexity and length of the proceedings, could take many more months. The trial itself, which began in May 2020, has been interrupted frequently, not only by the pandemic and political upheaval but also by the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023. The conflict began with a surprise attack by Hamas militants on southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli authorities. Israel’s subsequent offensive in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of more than 67,000 Palestinians, with the Hamas-run health ministry stating that about half were women and children.
Adding to the legal pressure, Netanyahu is also the subject of an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in November 2024. The ICC alleges that Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant are responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. The charges, which Netanyahu denies, have further complicated his already precarious position on the world stage.
Amid the courtroom drama, an unexpected intervention came from across the Atlantic. On October 13, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump addressed the Israeli Knesset and made a headline-grabbing plea: “I have an idea, why don’t you give Netanyahu a pardon?” Trump’s remarks, delivered with characteristic bravado, drew laughter and cheers from the parliamentary audience. He went on, “Cigars and some champagne—who the hell cares?” and referred to Netanyahu as “one of the great wartime presidents.” Trump’s comments were not merely off-the-cuff; they reflected his broader approach to downplaying allegations of corruption and human rights abuses among U.S. allies, as noted by The Washington Post.
Trump’s call for clemency was directed at Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who, while holding a largely ceremonial role, does have the authority to pardon convicted criminals if there are unusual circumstances. According to Israeli law, the president can commute sentences or grant pardons based on recommendations from the justice or defense ministries. Trump’s intervention was not his first; he had previously called for Netanyahu’s trial to be canceled back in June 2025 and has repeatedly described the charges as an unnecessary distraction during a time of national crisis.
The U.S. president’s comments were quickly echoed by Netanyahu’s political allies. Justice Minister Yariv Levin, a senior Likud figure, declared on Wednesday morning that the trial “should never have begun, and its existence is contrary to justice and the interests of the state,” as reported by Yedioth Ahronoth. Education Minister Yoav Kisch took to social media to argue that the trial should be canceled altogether, citing “serious security challenges and existential threats” facing Israel. The coordinated push from within the Likud party to rally behind Netanyahu and advocate for the annulment of his trial has only intensified as the legal proceedings drag on.
Not everyone is convinced by the calls for leniency. Protesters outside the courthouse voiced their anger, underscoring the deep divisions within Israeli society over Netanyahu’s leadership and the rule of law. Critics argue that granting a pardon or canceling the trial would undermine Israel’s democratic institutions and set a dangerous precedent for future leaders. Supporters, on the other hand, contend that the charges are politically motivated and that Israel needs strong, stable leadership during a period of unprecedented security threats and regional instability.
The political stakes are high. During his current term, which began in late 2022, Netanyahu has championed controversial judicial reforms that critics say were intended to weaken the independence of Israel’s courts. The proposed changes sparked massive protests throughout 2023, only subsiding after the outbreak of war in Gaza. The ongoing legal saga has become a proxy battle over the future direction of Israeli democracy, with Netanyahu’s supporters and detractors each framing the trial as a test of the country’s core values.
As the hearing concluded, Netanyahu briefly left the courtroom after receiving an envelope from an aide, a small but telling moment in a day filled with symbolism and high emotion. With no ruling yet in sight and the trial likely to continue for months, the prime minister remains at the center of a storm that touches on issues of justice, leadership, and the very soul of the Israeli state.
For now, all eyes remain on Tel Aviv and on Netanyahu himself—a leader whose fate is inextricably linked to the turbulent history and uncertain future of his nation.