Netanyahu's Corruption Trial to Begin on March 17

Emily Jones
02-18-2020

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JERUSALEM, Israel - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s corruption trial is set to begin on March 17, just two weeks after the national elections. 

An Israeli court announced the trial date on Tuesday. The court’s brief statement said Netanyahu is expected to attend the hearing. He will be the first sitting prime minister in Israel’s history to appear before the court. 

Netanyahu is charged with breach of trust, bribery, and fraud in connection to three cases. Netanyahu is accused of having quid pro quo relationships with leaders of powerful media organizations in Israel to exchange positive media coverage with regulatory favors. 

He is also accused of accepting illicit gifts from billionaire friends. 

Israel’s Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit indicted Netanyahu on January 28 after a more than two-year-long investigation. 

After being formally charged, Netanyahu submitted an immunity from prosecution request to the Knesset. 

However, the prime minister withdrew his request while he was in Washington for the unveiling of President Donald Trump’s Israeli-Palestinian peace plan. 
Netanyahu maintains his innocence and says he is the victim of a witch-hunt. 

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About The Author

Emily
Jones

Emily Jones is a multi-media journalist for CBN News in Jerusalem. Before she moved to the Middle East in 2019, she spent years regularly traveling to the region to study the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, meet with government officials, and raise awareness about Christian persecution. During her college years, Emily served as president of Regent University's Christians United for Israel chapter and spoke alongside world leaders at numerous conferences and events. She is an active member of the Philos Project, an organization that seeks to promote positive Christian engagement with the Middle
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