Israel now 'more optimistic' on prospects of Gaza deal: Saar

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to take to the witness stand on Tuesday for the first time in his trial on corruption allegations, a pivotal point in the drawn-out proceedings that comes as the leader wages war in Gaza and faces an international arrest warrant for war crimes charges.

- Reuters

TEL AVIV:

At home, Netanyahu is on trial for accusations of fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in three separate affairs.

Netanyahu denies wrongdoing, but his appearance on the witness stand will be a low point in his decades-long political career, standing in contrast to the image of a sophisticated, respected leader he has tried to cultivate.

The trial will take up a chunk of Netanyahu's time at a crucial point for Israel.

While he makes his case for weeks from the stand, he will still be tasked with managing the war in Gaza, maintaining a fragile ceasefire with the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and keeping tabs on threats from the wider Middle East, including Iran.