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

TEL AVIV: 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.

- Associated Press

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.