Israel: Netanyahu gives formal response to corruption charges at court hearing
Corruption trial resumes, set to enter new key stage after delays over coronavirus rules
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made an appearance in court on Monday as the corruption trial against him resumes ahead of the upcoming elections.
The prime minister gave his in-person his formal response to charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust -- all denied by Netanyahu.
The hearing has been postponed multiple times due to the restrictions imposed to curb the COVID-19 coronavirus.
While the trial began back in May 2020, when Netanyahu rejected the charges as "fabricated and ludicrous," Monday's hearing marks the beginning of a new stage in the process, with testimonies and evidence reviewed.
Besides the PM's formal response to the accusations, it is set to feature discussions on the schedule of the proceedings, including how often Netanyahu will have to appear in court in person.
In late 2014, Israel's Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit indicted Netanyahu in three graft cases: Case 1000, where the PM is accused of accepting gifts from billionaires, Case 2000 and Case 4000, which both center on Netanyahu's alleged efforts to secure more positive media coverage.
On Sunday, ahead of the hearing, Netanyahu lashed out at the "fabricated and false" cases against him and urged his supporters to not rally at the court due to risk of COVID-19 infection.