Netanyahu's corruption trial resumes in Israel after 3-month hiatus

By Abdul Raouf Arnaout

JERUSALEM (AA) – The trial of former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on corruption charges resumed in Jerusalem on Monday after a 3-month hiatus.

The session is the first to be held since Netanyahu became the leader of the opposition, and the fifth since the legal adviser to the government, Avichai Mandelblit, presented an indictment against him in January 2020, that included accusations of bribery, fraud and breach of trust.

"Benjamin Netanyahu's trial resumed this morning (Monday) in the Jerusalem District Court," and it was held without his presence, Israeli channel 13 reported.

Netanyahu's first and second trial sessions were held in May and July of 2020. His third and fourth sessions were held in April and June of this year.

The court will listen to the testimony of the former CEO of the Israeli Walla news website, Ilan Yeshua, during Monday’s session.

Yeshua is “a top witness in Case 4000, in which Netanyahu is alleged to have abused his powers when he served as both premier and communications minister from 2014 to 2017,” according to The Times of Israel newspaper.

Netanyahu is accused of using his position in order to illicitly benefit the business interests of Shaul Elovitch, the controlling shareholder of the telecom company Bezeq.

In exchange, Elovitch allegedly provided Netanyahu and his family with positive coverage on the Elovitch-owned Walla news website, including allowing the then-prime minister’s associates and family members to dictate editorial content and policy on a regular basis.

The three-month break in the trial came following requests by prosecutors for more time to submit all the necessary materials.

*Writing by Ibrahim Mukhtar in Ankara