Netanyahu Ends Testimony: "Ten Years of Hell"

"They Searched the Entire World to Destroy Me"

Immediately after Hadad formally ended the cross-examination, Netanyahu turned directly to the judges and delivered an emotional closing statement that laid bare his fury at what he characterized as a politically motivated witch hunt. The prime minister revealed that investigators had been dispatched across the globe for a decade, combing through every aspect of his life in an effort to find incriminating evidence.

"For ten years they sent investigators to every corner of the world to scan my life with a fine-tooth comb," Netanyahu declared, his voice rising. "This represents a massive effort to incriminate a person while trampling individual rights. They interrogated everyone close to me, my family members, destroyed families. The race to find something; they weren't looking for a crime, they were looking for a person, and they found nothing."

The prime minister systematically dismantled each of the three cases against him. He described Case 4000 as a "fictitious construction that is collapsing," and claimed that in Case 2000 (the Netanyahu-Mozes affair) he had sacrificed his government and political future by opposing the closure of the pro-Netanyahu newspaper Israel Hayom. In Case 1000, the so-called gifts affair, Netanyahu accused authorities of coercing witnesses and smuggling assets, while condemning the use of sophisticated surveillance technology against Israeli citizens.

"We Are Not a Police State"

Netanyahu's statement took an especially sharp turn when addressing investigative methods employed by law enforcement. He questioned how Israeli democracy could permit the deployment of Pegasus spyware against dozens of individuals, declaring: "How in a democracy do you place Pegasus surveillance software on dozens of people? We are not a police state."

The prime minister's remarks echoed previous courtroom confrontations in which he accused prosecutors of deliberately setting traps during interrogations to make him appear dishonest. Defense attorneys have consistently argued that investigators presented selective segments of witness testimony designed to confuse Netanyahu and elicit contradictory statements.

Netanyahu concluded his statement with words that encapsulated his view of the entire legal saga: "I am finishing, Your Honor, after ten years of hell... to witness this vile, false, and evil thing directed against the public's right to choose me. You cannot return the ten years to me and my family, but you can bring truth and justice."

Attorney Hadad thanked the judges for their patience throughout the lengthy proceedings, formally closing the testimony phase. The trial now enters its final stages, with closing arguments expected in the coming months. Netanyahu has consistently maintained his innocence across all three cases, which include allegations of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust involving media moguls and wealthy benefactors.

International Pressure and Political Fallout

The conclusion of Netanyahu's testimony comes amid mounting international scrutiny of the trial's timing and political implications. Recent revelations indicate that President Donald Trump expressed frustration with the legal proceedings during tense phone conversations with Netanyahu, viewing the cases as obstacles to regional diplomacy. The prime minister has also publicly called for Israel to reduce its dependence on American military aid, signaling a broader strategic shift in his thinking about national security autonomy.

The trial has dominated Israeli political discourse for years, contributing to repeated election cycles and deep polarization between "Only Bibi" and "Anyone But Bibi" camps. With testimony now complete, the legal and political establishment awaits the court's eventual verdict in what many observers consider the most consequential criminal case in Israeli history.

Further updates on closing arguments and the trial's next phases will follow as they develop.