Noni Mozes
Noni MozesRoi Alima/Flash 90

Attorney Yossi Ashkenazi, a member of Prime Minister Netanyahu's defense team, explained that the recently-revealed recorded conversations between him and Yediot Aharonot publisher Arnon Mozez were a deceptive maneuver carried out by the PM against the publisher.

In an interview with Reshet Bet morning, Adv. Ashkenazi mentioned, "As everyone testifies, the prime minister did the opposite of the deal he was offered."

"He mislead Noni Mozes into saying what he said in the recording, so that he could have the weapon for the day of the verdict," Ashkenazi argued. "The Prime Minister knew that Mozes promoted the 'Israel Hayom law' [aimed at limiting distribution of free newspapers, named for the free daily Israel Hayom] with the support of certain coalition members."

"The Netanyahu family was a tool for Yediot Aharonot to put pressure on [Israel Hayom owner Sheldon] Adelson, because there was no way of pressuring Adelson himself."

In tapes publicized on Saturday evening on Channel 13 News, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu can be heard threatening Yediot Aharonot publisher Arnon “Noni” Mozes that if he tries to topple him he'll eventually regret it.

The background to the tapes is one of the corruption indictments that Netanyahu is currently facing - Case 2000 - in which he is accused of offering to limit the circulation of the Yediot Aharonot's main competitor, Israel Hayom, in exchange for favorable coverage.

"If you try to topple me, I'll come against you with every tool I have," Netanyahu is heard saying on the tape to Mozes. "At the end, you know, it will turn into my life's mission."

"I'm speaking from the view of honesty and reasonable media [coverage] and not only the question of decreasing the hostility toward me from 9.5 to 7.5," Netanyahu says later on the tape.

Mozes replies: "Of course. We have to make sure that you'll be the next prime minister."