Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed his political hiatus following his 1999 election loss during his trial, saying, "I was out of political life for three years. I was politically dead, TV commentators eulogized me, and I truly believed they were right. I didn't think about returning and didn't want to. I spent time with my family, I had time. I didn't come back even though I could have. At first, I said 'it's behind me,' and I wanted it to stay behind me."