Australian Firm Sent $1.25 Million to PM's Lawyers

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s legal defense team received at least US$1.25 million from an Australian billionaire during his ongoing criminal trial. A report by The Sydney Morning Herald, published Monday, details monthly wire transfers that started on September 23, 2024, and continued for two years.

The newspaper states that Consolidated Press International, owned by James Packer, sent US$50,000 each month from a Citibank account. The funds arrived at Bank Mizrahi Tefahot in Tel Aviv, where the law firm Hadad Roth Shenhar holds its account. The firm currently represents Netanyahu in his three criminal cases.

The report notes that the payments occurred while Netanyahu’s evidentiary hearings were underway at the Jerusalem District Court. A source familiar with Packer’s financial affairs told the paper that the money covered work performed by Packer, such as identifying investment opportunities in Israel. The source claimed the transfers were unrelated to the prime minister’s trial, yet the newspaper reported that neither Packer nor his company provided evidence of those deals before the article went to print.

Packer did not deny the payments when approached for comment. Amit Hadad, Netanyahu’s lead defense attorney, declined to answer questions from the paper. He also refused to address the matter during recent hearings at the Jerusalem District Court. A spokesman for Netanyahu responded to the report by saying, “I couldn’t give a monkey's about your questions. We are very busy. We have an election on right now.”

The disclosure arrives on the eve of Israeli elections, while Netanyahu’s trial continues. Packer is named in Case 1000 of the trial, where prosecutors allege he provided gifts to the prime minister and his wife. The indictment lists Packer’s gifts as totaling NIS 229,174, consisting of NIS 145,577 in cigars and NIS 83,597 in champagne. These allegations cover the period from 2014 to 2016.

Prosecutors argue that the gifts formed a continuous supply line, often provided in response to requests. They contend Netanyahu advanced the interests of Packer and businessman Arnon Milchan while in a conflict of interest. The trial, which began in May 2020, includes charges of fraud, breach of trust, and bribery. Netanyahu denies all wrongdoing in the three cases involving media owners and private business dealings.