Israeli prime minister’s corruption trial resumes after 2-week pause

JERUSALEM

The corruption trial of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu resumed on Monday after a two-week suspension following his visit to the US.

“Politically I feel great; I was on a historical visit, and I am pretty satisfied. Medically, it was a difficult and exhausting week; I am taking antibiotics now,” Israeli Channel 12 quoted Netanyahu as telling judges at the Tel Aviv District Court at the start of the trial.

The Israeli premier appeared before the court eight times since Dec. 10, 2024. His trial was suspended in December due to his prostate removal surgery.

He faces three separate cases of corruption filed in 2019 against him: Case 1,000, Case 2,000, and Case 4,000, which include accusations of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust.

The Israeli premier denies any wrongdoing, calling the accusations “fake.”

Netanyahu, whose trial began on May 24, 2020, is the first sitting Israeli leader to take the stand as a criminal defendant in the country’s history.

Under Israeli law, he is not required to resign unless convicted by the Supreme Court, a process that could take several months.

Netanyahu also faces charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity, with the International Criminal Court issuing arrest warrants for him and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in November 2024 over atrocities in Gaza, where over 48,200 people, mostly women and children, have been killed.