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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s corruption trial resumed on Sunday after a break of more than a month, as mounting protests continued over his handling of Israel’s coronavirus crisis.
The trial will officially resume in January with witnesses being heard three times a week, the court decided Sunday.
Lawyers for the Israeli leader asked for a six-month postponement to prepare their strategy. They suggested it would be difficult to gauge the truthfulness of witnesses wearing masks — currently compulsory in Israel.
Netanyahu, 70, was not required to attend Sunday’s session in Jerusalem District Court, where he appeared on May 24 at the opening of the trial.
The first serving Israeli prime minister to go on trial, Netanyahu was indicted in November and has been charged with one count of bribery and three counts of fraud and breach of trust in three long-running corruption cases.
He denies any wrongdoing and says he is the victim of a politically orchestrated “witch hunt.”
If convicted, Netanyahu could face up to 10 years in prison for bribery and a maximum three-year term for each count of fraud and breach of trust. However, legal experts have suggested it is unlikely he would be handed maximum sentences even if found guilty.
The trial resumed after another night of protests in Israeli cities as public anger mounted about high unemployment and frustration at the government’s response to the pandemic.
