In his first appearance in court for corruption charges, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu laid bare his stark disagreements with former President Barack Obama over Iran and a Palestinian state. 

"Obama made it clear to me that U.S. policy was going to take a sharp turn against the ideas I believed in," Netanyahu recounted of his interactions with the U.S. in the early days of the Obama administration. 

"He saw Iran not as a threat but as an opportunity and saw a vital need for us to return to the '67 lines and establish a Palestinian state here."

Netanyahu took the stand for about four hours Tuesday morning in Tel Aviv District Court. The trial was moved from Jerusalem for undisclosed security reasons and convened in an underground courtroom, according to Reuters. He recalled his rocky relationship with Obama – how they failed to see eye to eye on an appropriate course of action for Palestinians.

"I had to face great pressure to create a Palestinian state," Netanyahu said. "[Obama] demanded it during the first meeting, he said: 'Not even one brick will you build over the Green Line.' I responded: 'Half of Jerusalem is over the Green Line; for instance, the Gilo neighborhood.' Obama said: 'Gilo too.' He demanded a total construction freeze, massive pressure. I had to deal with this, I had to deflect it, and it was no small matter."

NETANYAHU TO TESTIFY IN CORRUPTION TRIAL AMID MULTIPLE CONFLICTS

Netanyahu called to mind a disagreement with then-Secretary of State John Kerry, who was urging Israeli forces to withdraw from Judea and Samaria. 

"Kerry explained to me that my fear of placing security in Judea and Samaria in Palestinian forces' hands was unfounded because the Americans were training Palestinian forces and we could withdraw." 

He also said Obama had recommended Israel take notes from the U.S. policy in Afghanistan, and Netanyahu predicted it would not age well. 

"Obama suggested I make a secret visit to Afghanistan to see how American forces were training local forces. I told him the moment you leave Afghanistan, these forces will collapse under Islamist forces, and that's exactly what happened."

The corruption trial, which stems from a 2019 indictment for alleged breach of trust, accepting bribes and fraud, takes place against the backdrop of Israel’s war with Hamas. Netanyahu must attend court three times a week while it is ongoing. 

Netanyahu, 75, is the first sitting prime minister to be charged with a crime. 

The charges include: accepting gifts from Israeli Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan in exchange for advancing his interests, failing to report a bribery attempt from newspaper "Yediot Aharonot" publisher Arnon Mozes, who wanted Netanyahu to allow a bill outlawing free newspapers to pass and offered him favorable coverage in exchange, and accepting an offer in which Shaul Elovitch, the owner of Israeli telecom conglomerate Bezeq, would grant Netanyahu favorable media coverage in exchange for favorable regulatory changes. 

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Netanyahu said he is not in office for personal gain, and directly responded to allegations he asked for a constant supply of luxury items like champagne and cigars. 

"Absolute lies," he said. "I work 17-18 hours a day... It's around-the-clock work into the early hours of the night. There's almost no time to see family. I didn't see the children, and that's a hefty price to pay," Netanyahu said, adding that his rare leisure time is spent reading history or economics books. 

The prime minister argued that if he had been concerned about better media coverage, he could have just moved toward granting Palestinians statehood.

"Had I wanted good coverage, all I would have had to have done would be to signal toward a two-state solution… Had I moved two steps to the left I would have been hailed," he said. 

The court had been granting Netanyahu delays in his testimony throughout the 14-month-long war in Gaza, but last week ruled he must start testifying. In the lead-up to his court date, Netanyahu classified the charges against him as a witch hunt and railed against law enforcement and the media. 

"The real threat to democracy in Israel is not posed by the public’s elected representatives, but by some among the law enforcement authorities who refuse to accept the voters’ choice and are trying to carry out a coup with rabid political investigations that are unacceptable in any democracy," he said in a statement on Thursday.

"Netanyahu is on trial for allegedly using his political power to improve his media coverage. His defense: the coverage was not positive but hostile, and I did not attempt to change it for the benefit of Netanyahu the citizen but for the benefit of the State of Israel in response to Obama’s hostile stance," Amit Segal, chief political analyst for Israel's Channel 12, told Fox News Digital of the prime minister's testimony. 

Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo joined Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s legal defense team this week, as the Jewish leader and his former defense chief Yoav Gallant face arrest warrants from the International Criminal Court (ICC) over their ongoing response to Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack.

Cuomo, a three-term Democrat who resigned in 2021 amid harassment allegations he has personally denied, also railed against antisemitism at a recent dinner with leaders of New York’s Jewish community.

Cuomo condemned what he characterized as whitewashing Hamas kidnappings and murders in Israel, telling the National Committee for Furtherance of Jewish Education he is proud to join Netanyahu’s defense.

He condemned the "denial" that too many people and "institutions" have about the scourge of antisemitism.

Cuomo said one Jewish leader, Rabbi Zvi Kogan, who had been reported as "missing" in the United Arab Emirates was not so, and instead was kidnapped and murdered by Hamas. Cuomo suggested such incorrect characterizations should be considered antisemitic.

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"This is the moment that is going to be in the history books. This is a pivotal moment and this is the moment when true friends stand shoulder to shoulder and fight for the state of Israel," Cuomo said.

"I am proud to be on the legal defense team of the prime minister against the arrest warrant at the ICC – and I’m proud to stand against antisemitism."

The ICC charged Netanyahu and Gallant with crimes against humanity and war crimes, setting off a global firestorm as signatories to the court’s jurisdiction found themselves at odds with non-party allies like the U.S.

In recognizing the ICC, member nations have a sworn duty to uphold its edicts. Netanyahu’s warrant therefore presented the swath of Western nations – including the entire European Union – with a predicament that placed them counter to the U.S. and Israel.

Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts told Britain's GB News there would be "hell to pay for any international leader buying into this bulls---." That nation's leader, left-wing Prime Minister Keir Starmer, faces pressure from some members of his Labour Party who have cited an "obligation" to arrest Netanyahu, according to the outlet.

The Macron administration in France signaled Netanyahu will be treated as immune to the ICC because – while the French are signatories – Israel is not. 

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Separately, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot was asked if France would arrest Netanyahu, and responded that Paris is "very committed to international justice and will apply international law," according to the Jerusalem Post.

The warrants caused bipartisan outrage on Capitol Hill as Sens. John Fetterman, D-Pa., Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Tom Cotton, R-Ark., and Reps. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., and Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., found rare agreement.

Graham told "Hannity" that he and Cotton seek to pass a law sanctioning any country aiding the ICC in arresting Netanyahu, while the other listed lawmakers all condemned the warrant.

Cuomo is also rumored to be considering a 2025 mayoral run in New York City – which is home to the largest Jewish community in the U.S. 

During his remarks, he cited the 1.6 million Jews in the Big Apple and said Hamas is demonstrating in the streets with masks while Jewish people are afraid to wear yarmulkes or Stars of David in public.

"That cannot happen in the state of New York," he said, adding a relevant law he signed as governor should be properly enforced.

In 2019, Cuomo approved antisemitic-hate-crimes legislation sponsored by state Sen. Todd Kaminsky, D-Long Beach, and launched a "No Hate In Our State" campaign soon after.

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A Cuomo spokesman directed Fox News Digital to video of the governor's speech and said in a statement the Democrat is proud to be part of a legal "dream team" for Netanyahu.

"As governor, Cuomo made fighting antisemitism and supporting Israel a top priority, passing landmark hate crime legislation, prioritizing security upgrades to religious institutions, creating a new hate crimes unit in the State Police and leading a state delegation to Israel when it was under attack," he said.

The ideological potpourri of the U.S., Russia, Cuba, Turkey, Vatican City and Malaysia are some of the more major nations who do not recognize the ICC.

Major U.S. allies Canada, Mexico, Australia and the United Kingdom recognize the Holland-based bench.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Netanyahu administration for comment.

Bipartisan backlash erupted in response to news that Pre-Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court targeted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant with arrest warrants.

The chamber issued the arrest warrants against the two men "for crimes against humanity and war crimes," according to the ICC.

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa. – who has been a stalwart supporter of Israel in the wake of the heinous Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terror attack against the Jewish state – responded to the ICC's move in a post on X, writing, "No standing, relevance, or path. F--- that." He capped off the tweet with an Israeli flag emoji.

ICC REJECTS ISRAELI APPEALS, ISSUES ARREST WARRANTS FOR BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, YOAV GALLANT

Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., excoriated the ICC, accusing it of ignoring the context of Israel's war effort, which the U.S. ally launched in response to the horrific Oct. 7 attack last year. During the assault, Hamas terrorists committed atrocities including rape, murder and kidnapping.

"The ICC’s decision to issue arrest warrants against the leadership of Israel represents the weaponization of international law at its most egregious. The ICC has set a precedent for criminalizing self-defense: any country daring to defend itself against an enemy that exploits civilians as human shields will face persecution posing as prosecution," Torres declared in a post on X.

"The ICC ignores the cause and context of the war. Israel did not initiate the war. The war was imposed upon Israel by the unbridged barbarism of Hamas on October 7th. Not only did Hamas wage war on Israel, causing the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust, it carefully constructed a battlefield designed to maximize the loss of civilian life," he continued. 

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"None of that context seems to matter to the kangaroo court of the ICC, which cannot let facts get in the way of its ideological crusade against the Jewish State. The ICC should be sanctioned not for enforcing the law but for distorting it beyond recognition," the congressman concluded.

Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, declared in a post, "Enough of this dangerous lawfare against ⁦⁦@netanyahu & Israel. @SenSchumer must stop blocking a Senate vote on my bipartisan (42 Dems joined) House-passed ICC sanctions bill, #HR8282. Vote now!"⁦

Torres was one of the dozens of House Democrats who voted in favor of passing the measure earlier this year.

THUNE THREATENS INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT WITH SANCTIONS IF IT DOESN'T DROP NETANYAHU WARRANT FOR ARREST

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Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., referred to the ICC as "a dangerous joke," declaring in a tweet, "It is now time for the U.S. Senate to act and sanction this irresponsible body."

• PM Benjamin Netanyahu offered $5 million to anyone in Gaza who handed over hostages to Israel.
• He also offered safe passage out of the war-torn territory to those Palestinians who cooperate.
• In Israel, there is mounting pressure on Netanyahu to free those remaining in captivity in Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Tuesday that Palestinians in Gaza who turn over Israeli hostages will be offered $5 million as a reward, as well as an exit route out of the war-torn territory.

During Hamas' terror attack across the Israeli border on October 7, 2023, 251 Israeli and foreign hostages were taken, according to Israeli figures.

To date, some 117 of them have been freed or released, and 37 were brought back dead, leaving close to 100 that are thought to still be in Gaza.

It's unclear exactly how many of those hostages remain alive, as well as their precise whereabouts.

But there is intense and growing pressure within Israel, led by the families of the hostages, to bring the captives home. Negotiations have been at a standstill for months.

Netanyahu said Tuesday, while touring a section of the Gaza Strip, that Israel is doing everything it can to locate and return the hostages, per The Times of Israel.

He added, "Whoever dares to harm our hostages — he is a marked man. We will pursue you, and we will get you."

The $5 million pledge builds on earlier reports of a generous but unspecified reward from Israel to those who cooperate.

The New York Times reported that Netanyahu also offered a "safe way out for himself and his family" to whoever returns hostages to Israel.

Leaving Gaza remains a major challenge for Palestinians.

Exiting through Israel requires an Israel-issued permit, and according to reporting by several media outlets, departure via Egypt often involves exorbitant fees.

However, remaining in Gaza amid Israel's invasion remains incredibly dangerous.

The Israel Defense Forces has sought to destroy Hamas and free the hostages, but with that has come devastating destruction.

Humanitarian groups, such as the Red Cross, have put the death toll at more than 43,000 Palestinians, with over 100,000 people injured.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made no secret of his feelings toward President Biden after Donald Trump was elected this month, publicly revealing he'd ignored the current U.S. president's counsel and threats to withhold aid. 

"The U.S. had reservations and suggested that we not enter Gaza," Netanyahu revealed to the Israeli Knesset on Monday. 

The U.S., he said, also was hesitant about Israel’s plans to enter Gaza City, Khan Younis and "strongly opposed entry into Rafah," threatening to force Israel to fight without U.S. aid.

"President Biden told me that if we go in, we will be left alone," Netanyahu said. "He also said that he would stop shipments of important weapons to us. And so he did. A few days later, [U.S. Secretary of State Antony] Blinken appeared and repeated the same things and I told him – we will fight with our nails."

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The U.S. ultimately withheld a single shipment of 2,000-pound bombs, allowing all other weapons transfers to go on. 

"I made clear that if they go into Rafah – they haven’t gotten into Rafah yet – if they go into Rafah, I’m not supplying the weapons that have been used historically to deal with Rafah, to deal with the cities, to deal with that problem," Biden told CNN’s Erin Burnett in an interview at the time.

The move prompted blowback from supporters of Israel in Congress and Biden eventually moved forward with the shipment.

Netanyahu also claimed the U.S. wanted Israel not to respond to Iran’s missile attacks on Tel Aviv in October. 

"Again, we were told by our friend that there is no need to respond. And I said that sitting and not reacting is not acceptable, and we responded."

He confirmed that Israel had struck Iranian nuclear facilities in its counter-attack.

"It’s not a secret, it has been published," Netanyahu said. "There is a specific component in their nuclear program that was hit in this attack."

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Netanyahu emphasized the importance of Israel making its own decisions. 

"We must preserve Israel’s independence. We decided to enter – and we occupied Rafah, the Philadelphi Corridor and the Rafah Crossing."

Netanyahu had immediately congratulated Trump following his victory in the Nov. 5 presidential election, deeming it "history's greatest comeback." 

At the Knesset meeting Monday, Netanyahu said he would work with Trump on how to move forward on combating Iran through its proxies, its ballistic missiles and its nuclear program. 

"Our ability to act against these three threats will be evaluated in the near future together with the incoming administration in Washington," he said.

The Biden administration is working to secure a cease-fire in Lebanon in its final months in power. Amos Hochstein, Biden's envoy to the Middle East, suggested a peace deal was "within our grasp." 

"This is a moment of decision-making. I am here in Beirut to facilitate that decision, but it’s ultimately the decision of the parties to reach a conclusion to this conflict. It is now within our grasp," he said.

But Netanyahu struck a different tone – suggesting his nation would continue to carry out attacks on Hezbollah even if they had reached a cease-fire "on paper." 

"The most important thing is not [the deal that] will be laid on paper," Netanyahu said. "Even if there is a paper [setting out an agreement], worthy though it may be, we will be required, in order to ensure our security in the north (of Israel), to systematically carry out operations – not only against Hezbollah’s attacks, which could come. Even if there is a cease-fire, nobody can guarantee it will hold. So it’s not only our reaction, a preventive reaction, a reaction in the wake of attack, but also the capacity to prevent Hezbollah from strengthening."

"We will not allow Hezbollah to return to the state it was in on Oct. 6, 2023."