Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ended his testimony Wednesday after 98 court hearings, marking the end of a major phase in his long-running corruption trial. His testimony lasted about a year and a half, though the trial itself is still ongoing.

Netanyahu is on trial in three corruption cases known as Cases 1000, 2000 and 4000. These cases involve claims of receiving improper gifts, attempting to influence media coverage, and, in the most serious case, an alleged bribery deal involving favorable coverage on the Walla news site. Netanyahu denies all accusations and says the charges are politically motivated.

The final hearing became tense, with Netanyahu and his lawyer, Amit Hadad, accusing prosecutors of creating a false case against him. Netanyahu criticized the prosecution, saying, “They weren’t looking for a crime, they were looking for a person.” Hadad also claimed that prosecutors used incomplete and misleading evidence during the investigation.

Much of the final arguments focused on Case 4000. Prosecutors claim Netanyahu gave regulatory benefits to the telecom company Bezeq in exchange for positive coverage on Walla, which was owned by Bezeq’s owner, Shaul Elovitch. The defense argues there is no proof of a corrupt deal and says prosecutors are wrongly treating normal interactions between politicians and the media as criminal behavior.

The trial will now continue without Netanyahu testifying. The defense will keep presenting witnesses, and later both sides will give closing arguments before judges decide the verdict. With Netanyahu’s testimony complete, the trial is also expected to move back from Tel Aviv to the Jerusalem District Court.

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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ended his testimony Wednesday after 98 court hearings, marking the end of a major phase in his long-running corruption trial. His testimony lasted about a year and a half, though the trial itself is still ongoing.

Netanyahu is on trial in three corruption cases known as Cases 1000, 2000 and 4000. These cases involve claims of receiving improper gifts, attempting to influence media coverage, and, in the most serious case, an alleged bribery deal involving favorable coverage on the Walla news site. Netanyahu denies all accusations and says the charges are politically motivated.

The final hearing became tense, with Netanyahu and his lawyer, Amit Hadad, accusing prosecutors of creating a false case against him. Netanyahu criticized the prosecution, saying, “They weren’t looking for a crime, they were looking for a person.” Hadad also claimed that prosecutors used incomplete and misleading evidence during the investigation.

Much of the final arguments focused on Case 4000. Prosecutors claim Netanyahu gave regulatory benefits to the telecom company Bezeq in exchange for positive coverage on Walla, which was owned by Bezeq’s owner, Shaul Elovitch. The defense argues there is no proof of a corrupt deal and says prosecutors are wrongly treating normal interactions between politicians and the media as criminal behavior.

The trial will now continue without Netanyahu testifying. The defense will keep presenting witnesses, and later both sides will give closing arguments before judges decide the verdict. With Netanyahu’s testimony complete, the trial is also expected to move back from Tel Aviv to the Jerusalem District Court.