Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has taken the witness stand for the first time today in his long-running corruption trial, saying he was being hounded for his hawkish security policies, Reuters reports.

The leader of the right-wing Likud party, Netanyahu assailed the Israeli media for what he called its leftist stance and accused journalists of having hounded him for years because his policies did not align with a push for a Palestinian state.

“I have been waiting for eight years for this moment to tell the truth,” Netanyahu told the three-judge court. But I am also a prime minister … I am leading the country through a seven-front war. And I think the two can be done in parallel.“

Netanyahu was indicted in three cases involving gifts from millionaire friends and for allegedly seeking regulatory favours for media tycoons in return for favourable news coverage.