A legal expert claims that Netanyahu and Trump are facing "politicized prosecutions."

The conviction of former President Trump for falsifying business records bears similarities to the ongoing prosecution of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to legal experts.

Avichai Mandelblit, Israel's former attorney general, accused Netanyahu of fraud, breach of trust, and accepting bribes in a legal case that began four years ago and is ongoing. Netanyahu has consistently denied all charges against him.

Planet Chronicle Digital contacted renowned legal experts with extensive knowledge of the intense and uncompromising electoral and judicial systems in both democracies.

Eugene Kontorovich, a professor at George Mason University Scalia Law School and a scholar at the Kohelet Policy Forum, a Jerusalem think tank, stated to Planet Chronicle Digital that Israel has always been a warning sign for threats to freedom and Western democracy. The politically motivated prosecutions of President Trump on vague and incomprehensible charges, as well as the victimless crimes, closely resemble the prosecutions of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. However, Israel's situation is even more dire, as Netanyahu was indicted four years ago following years-long investigations, casting a perpetual shadow over his political career.

In Israel, prosecutors are not elected or politically appointed, which means there is no consolation for both sides to play the same game.

Netanyahu's political opponents believed that the multiple criminal proceedings would end his political career, but instead he has won multiple elections because voters disregarded the prosecutions.

Court systems are often used as tools to silence politicians and opposition in modern politics.

The most well-known recent instance is the imprisonment of Russian President Vladimir Putin's strongest political adversary, Alexei Navalny, who died in an Arctic prison colony in February. Putin's critics claimed he was responsible for the murder. Russia's murky judiciary sentenced Navalny to 19 years in prison for extremism. His supporters maintain that he was targeted by Putin because he was the first politician to establish a national Russian opposition movement that aimed to put an end to Putin's 22-year reign over Russia.

In 2023, Silvio Berlusconi, the late-Italian Prime Minister, was acquitted of witness tampering related to "bunga bunga" sex parties at his Milan villa. He maintained that the allegations were fabricated by his political adversaries.

Last year, the Italian politician who referred to himself as "Jesus Christ of politics" died. In 2013, Italy's high court upheld a conviction for tax fraud against him.

In 2022, the former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan was removed from power and given multiple prison sentences for corruption, including revealing confidential information. Khan claims that the charges against him are politically motivated, and his supporters have taken to the streets of Southeast Asia to demonstrate their support for him.

Imran Khan, a former cricket star turned Islamist politician, is currently facing 170 legal cases against him, including charges of terrorism, incitement to violence, and graft. In March 2022, Khan claimed at a rally that a foreign conspiracy was working against him. He stated that a document showed that "all will be forgiven if Imran Khan is removed from power." A month later, Khan was ousted as prime minister by a no-confidence vote in parliament.

David Friedman, America's former ambassador to Israel and a lawyer, stated on Planet Chronicle Digital that the key aspect of a functioning democracy is the public's trust in the impartiality of its judiciary. In the case of Trump, Friedman believes that the prosecution and court have pursued a baseless case and caused significant harm to democracy. Although he is not well-versed in the prime minister's issues, Friedman notes that there is a growing distrust of the judiciary among a significant portion of Israel's population.

During the Trump administration, Friedman played a crucial role in relocating the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. He stated, "Prosecuting political opponents always results in a byproduct. The facts and the law must be compelling and overwhelming. Unfortunately, this is not present in either case."