Tel Aviv, June 24 (EFE).- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday concluded his testimony in the corruption trial, with a scathing attack on prosecutors, whom he compared to East Germany’s notorious Stasi secret police and accused of conducting a campaign of «persecution.» The Israeli prime minister ended more than a year of court appearances in a case in which he faces charges of fraud, bribery, and breach of trust. «They weren’t looking for a crime. They were looking for a man. All this disproportionate effort was aimed at getting Netanyahu’s head,» the prime minister told the Tel Aviv District Court. “They haven’t found anything because nothing happened,” he added, referring to the case against him, which is still ongoing. Netanyahu described the prosecution as «the Stasi, simply the Stasi,» referring to the former East German intelligence and security agency. He also said the investigation against him was characteristic of a «police state.» «After 10 years of hell, leading this country through no easy challenges, I seek one thing: to bring out the truth,» Netanyahu said, concluding his remarks. He is the first Israeli prime minister to stand trial while in office. Netanyahu is facing charges in three separate cases involving allegations of fraud and breach of trust. One of the cases centres on allegations that Netanyahu, while serving as communications minister, granted regulatory favors to businessman Shaul Elovich, who controlled telecommunications company Bezeq and news website Walla, in exchange for favourable media coverage. The Israeli leader appeared in court three times a week during the proceedings. Since the trial began, hearings have been repeatedly postponed after Netanyahu cited high-level diplomatic commitments and security matters related to Israel’s military operations in Iran, Lebanon, and Gaza, resulting in numerous absences. Wednesday’s hearing was devoted to final clarifications from the defense following the completion of the prosecution’s cross-examination. Netanyahu spent about two hours on the witness stand in an underground courtroom in Tel Aviv under heavy security. During the session, one of his bodyguards brought him coffee and water, which he drank while following the proceedings. He also let out audible sighs during interventions by lead prosecutor Yehudit Tirosh. The only interruption came shortly after the hearing began, when Netanyahu received a manila envelope. After briefly reviewing its contents, he left the courtroom for about 15 minutes. On Nov. 30, Netanyahu formally requested a pardon from Israeli President Isaac Herzog in connection with the proceedings. He has also repeatedly received public support from then-US president Donald Trump. In April, Herzog said he would not consider the request until efforts «to reach an agreement» with prosecutors outside court had been exhausted. EFE ybp-sk