Hollywood mogul Arnon Milchan testified on Thursday that he never received any assistance from Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in acquiring a US visa, completely squashing the main charge of bribery in Netanyahu’s indictments.
One of the main charges of Case 1000 accuses Netanyahu of assisting Milchan in obtaining a ten-year US visa in exchange for gifts of champagne and cigars.
Netanyahu’s lawyers, cross-examining Milchan for the fifth day, said to him: “Confirm to me that you never brought cigars and champagne in connection with a visa or anything else.”
Milchan, who is testifying via video link from a hotel in the British resort town of Brighton, replied: “I said that several times, Netanyahu didn’t help.”
In fact, Milchan contacted then-U.S. Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro about acquiring a visa, he said, even before contacting Netanyahu.
Netanyahu’s lawyers continued, saying ” “The main investigation created the impression that you only called Netanyahu and his people. (In practice) you called people on the right, on the left.” Milchan confirmed this.
“What you remember (is) that you didn’t get answers from Netanyahu and that he doesn’t hand out visas,” the defense asked. Milchan replied: “There was one sentence from Mr. Netanyahu: ‘Can’t help,’ I asked once and got an answer, ‘Can’t’ or ‘unable.'”
According to activist Eldad Yaniv, in the period prior to the indictments filed against Netanyahu, then-Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit said that “without a bribery charge, there are no indictments.”
Mandelblit felt like the other charges brought against Netanyahu were insubstantial.
Right-wing journalist Yinon Magal responded to the report by stating: “Today was a wonderful day in the Prime Minister’s case…but who will return the lost years to Netanyahu?”
Later on Thursday, Netanyahu spoke to supporters outside the Jerusalem District Court, calling the court proceedings “entertainment.”
“This is entertainment, I know you’re totally shocked,” he said sardonically. “You’ve come to see the best show in town.”
The report follows the major uproar on Wednesday following the admission of former Israel Police Chief Roni Alsheich that the goal of the indictments against Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu was to cause him to resign.
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