The historical trial of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, the first sitting prime minister in Israeli history to face trial, ended about 4:30 p.m. on Sunday afternoon.

Deputy State-Attorney Liat Ben-Ari said at the end of the hearing that Netanyahu does not have to be present at the next hearing, scheduled for July 19.

The prime minister’s trial began at about 3 p.m. in Courtroom 317 at the Jerusalem District Court. Netanyahu refrained from sitting down on the defendant’s bench until the media was ordered to leave the courtroom.

Hundreds of protesters gathered in Jerusalem on Sunday afternoon, both outside the Prime Minister’s Residence on Balfour Street and outside the Jerusalem District Court, ahead of the first trial in Israeli history against a sitting prime minister.

Some of the protesters – the “Black Flag” protesters – were protesting against Netanyahu and others were demonstrating in support of the prime minister and against the Israeli judiciary system.

The name of the “Black Flag’ movement is taken from the black flags protesters hold or attach to their cars to symbolize the “danger to Israeli democracy” that Netanyahu represents.

מחאת הדגלים השחורים, מחוץ לבית ראש הממשלה.
צילום: מחאת הדגלים השחורים pic.twitter.com/70FxKliAHS

— החדשות – N12 (@N12News) May 24, 2020

ד"ר שקמה שוורצמן, ממובילי מחאת הדגלים השחורים, אומרת ל-@YaelDan1 מההפגנה מול בית רה"מ בירושלים: "בשנתיים האחרונות התבצעה פה פגיעה בוטה ברשויות החוק. המחאה תימשך עד שבראש המדינה יעמוד אדם שטובת האזרחים לנגד עיניו" pic.twitter.com/mpD9G7IbX7

— גלצ (@GLZRadio) May 24, 2020

רמי בן יהודה, פעיל ליכוד מחוץ לבית המשפט: ״אנחנו כולנו עומדים לדין. לעולם לא תצעד לבד בנימין נתניהו. אנחנו היום רק מתחילים ופותחים את המלחמה הזאת שתימשך שלוש שנים. החונטה המשפטית השמאלנית רודפת אותנו״ @ynetalerts @YediotAhronot pic.twitter.com/Lb6iK5kW7I

— גלעד כהן | Gilad Cohen (@GiladCohenJR) May 24, 2020

Several Likud MKs and ministers arrived at the courthouse to attend the trial to show their support for Netanyahu, including Transportation Minister Miri Regev, Public Security Minister Amir Ohana, and Settlement Affairs Minister Tzipi Hotovely.

“We are here to demand a fair trial for someone whose blood has been spilled day in day out by the media and those always against him,” Regev said outside the courthouse. “We are here to say we will stand by him.”

Netanyahu spoke to the press upon his arrival to the court building, while surrounded by his Likud supporters, quoting Havard professor and US attorney Prof. Alan Dershowitz: “The Netanyahu trial poses a great threat to democracy and the rule of the law. This is the first time in the history of any modern country that a man is being prosecuted for trying to gain positive media coverage.”

ראש הממשלה נתניהו בכניסה למשפטו: "רוצים לסכל את רצון העם. גורמים במשטרה ובפרקליטות חברו לשמאל כדי לתפור תיקים, להפיל ראש ממשלה חזק מהימין. החקירות זוהמו ונתפרו מהרגע הראשון. אני ניצב פה היום כראש הממשלה שלכם בגו זקוף וראש מורם ודורש – חשפו הכול, גלו הכול" pic.twitter.com/viPhB9wo48

— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) May 24, 2020

Dershowitz made his comments on Sunday morning in an interview on Army Radio.

The prime minister slammed the judicial system, saying it is corrupt and it is trying the thwart the will of the people – ” to bring me and the right-wing camp down.”

“The left has failed to [bring me down] for over a decade…and in recent years found a new trick – police and prosecutors who joined the ‘anyone but Bibi’ camp to fabricate these delusional and fabricated cases, this delusional trial.”

Netanyahu ended his speech by thanking his supporters: “Your incredible support warms my heart. I know that the people of Israel are behind me.”

He also published a statement on Twitter thanking his supporters in the Likud for standing by him.

תודה לכם אזרחי ישראל, ותודה רבה לחברות וחברי הליכוד על התמיכה האדירה! אתם נותנים לי את הכוח להילחם – ולנצח 🇮🇱 pic.twitter.com/qbeX7iiRAO

— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) May 24, 2020

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)