Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is ready to testify on Tuesday in his bribery, fraud, and breach of belief trial. The listening to will start in an underground room on the Tel Aviv District Court docket, moved from Jerusalem resulting from safety considerations. Netanyahu is anticipated to testify 3 times every week for at the least two weeks, in response to native experiences. That is the primary time a sitting Israeli PM has been charged with against the law, IANS reported citing Xinhua information company.
The trial started in early 2020 and includes three instances in opposition to Netanyahu. He’s accused of bribery, fraud, and breach of belief. Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, denies the costs. He claims the trial is a politically pushed ‘witch hunt.’
On November 24, the court docket partially granted Netanyahu’s authorized crew a 15-day postponement for his testimony. Nonetheless, it dismissed a current plea for a delay from 12 ministers in Netanyahu’s cupboard. The trial was earlier paused for over two-months resulting from Israel-Hamas battle.
If convicted, Netanyahu may face extreme penalties, together with jail time. This may make him the primary sitting Israeli prime minister to be sentenced for felony expenses.
Netanyahu’s trial is additional sophisticated by ICC arrest warrants issued in November. The warrants, concentrating on him and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, accuse them of “crimes in opposition to humanity and struggle crimes” dedicated between October 8, 2023, and Might 20, 2024.
(With IANS inputs)
