In Israel, Prime Minister Netanyahu has gone to court for a new seat in the long-drawn-out corruption lawsuit against him. Dozens of opponents stand before the court in Jerusalem.
The prime minister again denied guilt. “I confirm the written answer submitted on my behalf,” Netanyahu said in court. With that, he was referring to a document with his lawyers’ defense, which was filed last month. Not long after his statement, the prime minister left the courtroom.
It is the second time that the Israeli Prime Minister himself has been present at the case against him.
Three things
The prime minister is on trial for bribery, fraud and breach of trust. For example, he would have bribed a media company to send positive messages about him to the world.
Netanyahu himself speaks of a witch hunt. “And that’s the way many of his supporters think about it, they remain loyal to him,” said correspondent Ties Brock in the NOS Radio 1 News
At the same time, there is a group of opponents who have been demanding for months through demonstrations that the prime minister resign. Brock, who is out of court, estimates that there are now more than a hundred protesters with flags and T-shirts with texts like “crime minister” on them. “There is a lot of press and a lot of police. All eyes are on the trial here today,” said the correspondent.
Elections
The trial has been going on for years and has often been delayed or postponed. All the while, Netanyahu stayed on as prime minister. Under Israeli law, a prime minister is not required to resign unless convicted by a judge. New elections are scheduled for 23 March.
Today a little more will become clear about the further course of the process. “The question is whether there will be interrogations in the coming weeks,” says correspondent Brock. Or will the matter be lifted over the election the way Netanyahu wants?
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