Sydney report: Packer's firm sent $1.25M to Netanyahu's lawyers

A dispute has emerged over who paid for the legal defense of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The Sydney Morning Herald reported on Monday that the law firm representing Netanyahu received at least $1.25 million from Australian billionaire James Packer. The newspaper has not independently verified the transfers, and neither side has fully explained the flow of money.

The report identifies the payments as monthly wire transfers of $50,000 each. These transfers began on September 23, 2024, and continued over a two-year period. The money moved from a Citibank account held by Packer's company, Consolidated Press International, to an account at Bank Mizrahi Tefahot. The receiving account belongs to Hadad Roth Shenhar, a Tel Aviv law firm that defends Netanyahu.

A source familiar with Packer's financial affairs told the Herald that the transfers covered work Packer performed, such as finding investment deals in Israel. The source stated the payments had nothing to do with the prime minister's trial. The Herald later requested evidence of these deals or work by the firm. Neither Packer nor his company responded by the time the story was published.

Packer declined to comment when approached by reporters, and the paper noted he did not deny the payments. Amit Hadad, Netanyahu's defense attorney, did not answer the newspaper's questions. He also refused to address the matter at the Jerusalem District Court, where evidentiary hearings are currently ongoing.

A spokesman for Netanyahu responded to the Herald with a blunt message. "I couldn't give a monkey's about your questions. We are very busy. We have an election on right now," the spokesman said. The report was published on the eve of Israeli elections, while the trial remains active.

Packer is linked to Case 1000 of the trial, in which Netanyahu is accused of accepting gifts from him and from businessman Arnon Milchan. Prosecutors allege the gifts formed a "supply line" and that Netanyahu advanced Milchan's interests in exchange. The indictment details gifts of cigars and champagne totaling about NIS 690,000 for Netanyahu and his wife. The portion attributed to Packer is NIS 229,174, covering NIS 145,577 in cigars and NIS 83,597 in champagne.

The trial began in May 2020 and covers three cases involving alleged gifts and dealings with media owners. Netanyahu faces fraud and breach-of-trust charges in all three cases, along with a bribery charge in Case 4000 related to Bezeq and Walla. He denies all wrongdoing. Hadas Klein, who worked for both Milchan and Packer, served as a key prosecution witness regarding the delivery of the gifts.