{"id":177827,"date":"2025-12-10T13:51:14","date_gmt":"2025-12-10T13:51:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/177827\/"},"modified":"2025-12-10T13:51:14","modified_gmt":"2025-12-10T13:51:14","slug":"netanyahu-testimony-paused-after-guards-tussle-with-bereaved-families","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/177827\/","title":{"rendered":"Netanyahu testimony paused after guards tussle with bereaved families"},"content":{"rendered":"

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu\u2019s testimony in his criminal trial was delayed for several minutes Wednesday while court ushers tried to remove bereaved parents whose children were killed on October 7, 2023, and during the war in Gaza.<\/p>\n

The parents had apparently been sitting quietly in the courtroom at the Tel Aviv District Court when a guard instructed them to go out. Footage from the courtroom showed several parents remonstrating with guards, insisting there was no reason for them to be ejected. There was some argument regarding claims that someone had held up a sign, which relatives forcefully denied, saying the signs were with them but had not been held up.<\/p>\n

Reut Edri, whose son was murdered at the Nova rave, told Kan: \u201cWe sat quietly and respectfully. We respected the court. One of our speakers passed us some photos under our feet to put into a bag. We didn\u2019t wave anything. Within two seconds the security guards came and said we had raised signs. I\u2019ve never seen anything like it. The hearing was halted \u2014 for what reason? So that the prime minister wouldn\u2019t have to look the bereaved families in the eyes even once?\u201d<\/p>\n

Eyal Eshel, the father of Roni Eshel, one of the surveillance soldiers killed during the October 7 Hamas attack at the Nahal Oz base, told the judges that the relatives had not come to create a \u201cprovocation\u201d but simply to \u201clook him [Netanyahu] in the eyes and request the simplest of things \u2014 a state commission of inquiry.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another video showed a weeping mother say, \u201cI\u2019d like to see him not form [a commission], I\u2019d like to see it\u2026 He torched our families. He torched the country. I\u2019d like to see it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\tGet The Times of Israel’s Daily Edition
\n\t\t\tby email and never miss our top stories\n\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\tBy signing up, you agree to the terms<\/a><\/p>\n

The prime minister\u2019s defense attorney Amit Hadad requested that the family members not be ejected, and they were eventually allowed to remain in the courtroom.<\/p>\n

\u05de\u05e9\u05e4\u05d7\u05d5\u05ea \u05e9\u05db\u05d5\u05dc\u05d5\u05ea \u05d4\u05ea\u05d1\u05e7\u05e9\u05d5 \u05dc\u05e6\u05d0\u05ea \u05de\u05d4\u05d3\u05d9\u05d5\u05df \u05d1\u05de\u05e9\u05e4\u05d8 \u05e0\u05ea\u05e0\u05d9\u05d4\u05d5 \u05db\u05d9 \u05d1\u05d9\u05e7\u05e9\u05d5 \u05dc\u05d4\u05e0\u05d9\u05e3 \u05e9\u05dc\u05d8\u05d9\u05dd \u05e2\u05dd \u05ea\u05de\u05d5\u05e0\u05d5\u05ea \u05d9\u05e7\u05d9\u05e8\u05d4\u05df; \u05d7\u05dc\u05e7 \u05de\u05d4\u05df \u05e4\u05e8\u05e6\u05d5 \u05d1\u05d1\u05db\u05d9 pic.twitter.com\/ogKatLkS1I<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Maya Nadan \u05de\u05d9\u05d4 \u05e0\u05d3\u05df (@Maya_Nadan) December 10, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

Netanyahu and his government have steadfastly refused to establish a state commission of inquiry, claiming it would be biased against the government since its members would be appointed by the president of the Supreme Court, as the government continues its efforts to massively curb the powers of the judiciary.<\/p>\n

\t\"\"<\/a>
\n\t\tBereaved families from the recent war speak to the media at the Tel Aviv District Court on December 10, 2025 (Avshalom Sassoni\/Flash90)<\/p>\n

During the prime minister\u2019s testimony, he was asked about his relations with Shaul Elovitch, the former owner of both the Bezeq telecommunications company and the Walla news site, and whether he believed Elovitch sought to cozy up to him with positive coverage due to his desire for regulatory benefits (Netanyahu is accused of approving decisions beneficial to Bezeq in return for the bribe of positive media coverage from Walla).<\/p>\n

Netanyahu insisted that he \u201cdidn\u2019t make that connection,\u201d adding that \u201cother publishers also had business interests, and I spoke with them because I wanted to influence one [news] item or another\u2026 This never came up in any conversation I had with Elovitch.\u201d<\/p>\n

Prosecutor Yehudit Tirosh pressed Netanyahu: \u201cThese aren\u2019t people operating in a black box. They have a relationship with you. The evidence shows these are people who want to serve your interests. There is no way in the world that this wouldn\u2019t come up before you, and it\u2019s inconceivable that you wouldn\u2019t consider it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\"\"<\/a>
\n\t\tPrime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Tel Aviv District Court before the start of his testimony in his trial, June 3, 2025. (Chaim Goldberg\/Flash90)<\/p>\n

The premier responded that they \u201cnever talked about regulation, because he knows that no one asks me for anything and I don\u2019t do favors for anyone.\u201d At the same time, he said, he \u201chad a very close relationship, including dinners and including with our partners,\u201d with various news magnates.<\/p>\n

The premier is on trial for fraud and breach of trust in three cases and bribery in one of them. Netanyahu denies any wrongdoing and says all three cases were fabricated by the police and state prosecution in an attempted political coup. He recently requested a pardon<\/a> from President Isaac Herzog, but offered no admission of guilt or contrition. He argued that it is in Israel\u2019s national interest for him to be pardoned, so he can focus fully on running the country.<\/p>\n

Netanyahu, in the six years since he was indicted, has declared his innocence time and again and decried the trial as a politically motivated witch hunt.<\/p>\n

He has argued that the trial is tearing Israel apart and that its immediate conclusion through a pardon \u201cwould greatly help lower the flames and promote broad reconciliation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Herzog has said he would evaluate the request based on expert opinion from the Justice Ministry and other legal officials in a process that is expected to take several weeks.<\/p>\n


\n\t\t\t\tWatch DocuNation Season 3: The Heart of Israel\t\t\t<\/p>\n


\n\t\t\t\t\twhen you join the ToI Community\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

In this season of DocuNation, you can stream five outstanding Israeli documentaries with English subtitles and then join a live online discussion with the filmmakers. The selected films show Israel beyond the conflict: a place of storytellers and musicians, of dreamers, makers, and communities rooted in meaning and trust.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Featured\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

When you watch DocuNation, you\u2019re also supporting Israeli creators at a time when it\u2019s increasingly difficult for them to share their work globally.<\/p>\n

To learn more about DocuNation: The Heart of Israel, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\tSupport ToI and get DocuNation\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\tSupport ToI and get DocuNation\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\tAlready a member? Sign in to stop seeing this<\/a><\/p>\n


\n\t\t\t\tYou appreciate our journalism\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n


\n\t\t\t\t\t\tWe\u2019re really pleased that you\u2019ve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month. \n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

You clearly find our careful reporting valuable, in a time when facts are often distorted and news coverage often lacks context.<\/p>\n

Your support is essential to continue our work. We want to continue delivering the professional journalism you value, even as the demands on our newsroom have grown dramatically since October 7.<\/p>\n

So today, please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. For as little as $6 a month you’ll become our partners while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing\u00a0exclusive content\u00a0available only to Times of Israel Community members.<\/p>\n

Thank you,
David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel<\/p>\n

\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\tJoin Our Community\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\tJoin Our Community\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\tAlready a member? Sign in to stop seeing this<\/a>
\n\t\t