Netanyahu’s corruption trial to start next week after court denies request for delay
Netael Bandel – Mar 10, 2020 2:08 PM - Haaretz.com
▻https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/elections/.premium-netanyahu-s-corruption-trial-to-open-next-week-after-court-denies-
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s trial for three corruption cases will open next Tuesday, after the Jerusalem District Court denied on Tuesday his request to delay it by 45 days.
The prime minister, who has been charged with bribery, fraud and breach of trust, was scheduled to appear in court next week, but the prosecutor’s office told the court it wouldn’t require Netanyahu to show up at court for the opening hearing.
The court said that the arguments presented by Netanyahu’s legal team are irrelevant for the first hearing, and therefore there is no reason to delay the trial.
Netanyahu’s lawyers cited backlogs in transferring investigation materials, which hadn’t allowed them to prepare for the hearing, in their request. However, the court stressed that they are not required to respond to the charges in next week’s hearing.
The prosecution has prepared the materials in full for Netanyahu’s defense team, but the prime minister’s attorneys have not come forward to collect them, and are requesting that the prosecution scan the files for them.
Netanyahu’s main rival for the premiership in Israel’s election, Kahol Lavan’s Benny Gantz, blasted the prime minister last week on Twitter, accusing him of attempting to evade justice.