Netanyahu denies role in alleged 2009 efforts to broker Yediot-Israel Hayom understandings
The hearing focused on claims that intermediaries close to Netanyahu discussed possible limits on the weekend edition of Israel Hayom in exchange for improved coverage of Netanyahu and his family in
Assessment
The denial from Netanyahu's camp in this long-running media influence case tests the credibility of witnesses who have already testified about backchannel deals. At stake is whether the former prime minister can be linked to an alleged quid pro quo that would have curbed a free newspaper's reach in exchange for favorable press coverage. Observers should watch for documentary evidence or recorded conversations that could corroborate or undermine the intermediaries' accounts.