Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared Wednesday in a Tel Aviv district court to continue his corruption trial after a month-long break, local media report.
The trial had been suspended due to Jewish holidays and Netanyahu’s travels to New York for the UN General Assembly.
Ministers and Knesset members from his Likud Party attended the session in solidarity.
At one point, Netanyahu briefly exited the courtroom after receiving an envelope from an aide.
Some cabinet members, including Justice Minister Yariv Levin, have publicly supported clemency for Netanyahu, calling the trial “contrary to justice and the state’s interest.”
Netanyahu faces charges in three cases:
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Case 1000, alleging receipt of expensive gifts from businessmen in exchange for favors
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Case 2000, involving alleged negotiations for favorable media coverage
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Case 4000, accusing him of leveraging state resources to benefit a telecommunications company
He is the first sitting Israeli prime minister to testify as a defendant in the country’s history.
Beyond the corruption charges, Netanyahu is also under scrutiny at the International Criminal Court, which has issued arrest warrants over alleged war crimes in Gaza.
