Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu goes to the first working cabinet meeting of the new federal government at the Chagall Hall in the Knesset, the Israeli Parliament in Jerusalem May 24, 2020. Abir Sultan/Pool by means of REUTERS
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus graft trial resumed on Sunday after a two-month break in the middle of installing protests over his supposed corruption and handling of the coronavirus crisis.
Netanyahu, the very first serving Israeli prime minister to go on trial, did not attend what a representative for the prosecution said would be a technical discussion.
His presence was not required at the session in Jerusalem District Court, where he appeared in May at the opening of the trial to reject charges of bribery, scams and breach of trust.
Netanyahu, 70, was indicted in November in cases involving gifts from millionaire pals and for allegedly seeking regulatory favours for media tycoons in return for beneficial coverage.
After clinching a coalition deal 3 months earlier with centrist Benny Gantz, his main competitor in 3 undetermined elections because April 2019, Netanyahu took centre stage in buying limitations that flattened Israels first wave of coronavirus infections.
However after a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases, high unemployment and reimposed coronavirus curbs in current weeks, Israelis have required to the streets in practically daily demonstrations against him, with public anger compounded by the corruption claims.
On Saturday, authorities used water cannons to distribute demonstrators around Netanyahus Jerusalem home. In Tel Aviv, Israels industrial hub, thousands gathered to require better state aid to organizations injured in the health crisis.
Bribery charges carry a sentence of as much as 10 years in prison and/or a fine. Fraud and breach of trust carry a prison sentence of approximately 3 years.
Writing by Jeffrey Heller; Editing by Alexandra Hudson
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
