Yair Lapid arrives to testify in Netanyahu's trial
Yair Lapid arrives to testify in Netanyahu's trialElad Zagman/TPS

Opposition leader MK Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid) on Monday morning began his testimony in Case 1000, which pertains to the relationship between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and businessmen Arnon Milchan and James Packer.

The testimony is expected to last three days.

Lapid, who served as Finance Minister under Netanyahu, spoke about the claim that Netanyahu tried to advance the "Milchan Law," which aimed to help the businessman by extending the period of time during which there is a tax exemption.

"I have known Milchan since the 90s, I did an article on him for Channel 1. That's how we met," Lapid said. "After the article, he reached out and we were in sporadic contact. It wasn't close. When I left Channel 1, he offered me to work with him, in 1996. I traveled to Los Angeles and worked with him for a few months."

"I founded a television company for him, and then I told him that it wasn't for me. I worked for him for five months," Lapid said. "We remained friendly. When he came to Israel, we would try to meet, we'd go out for dinner. He's a great guy, I liked him. It was a sporadic connection."

Lapid also said that there were two times during which he spoke to Netanyahu about the tax exemption. He said that one of those times was at the Prime Minister's Residence, and the other was before a Cabinet meeting. During the first instance, Netanyahu asked whether Milchan spoke to him, and said that, "it was a good law," as an aside.

In the second instance, Lapid said that Netanyahu asked about the law's progress.

"I told him that I think it won't happen and he said, 'It's a good law.' Originally I did not think that it was a good law. I did not understand that it was a good law. I did not understand why regular people need to pay tax and others do not."

Following Lapid's testimony, the counter-questioning began.