Israel ... Netanyahu's trial on corruption charges begins on Sunday

On Sunday, Netanyahu (70 years) will appear in front of the Central Court on Salah El-Din Street in East Jerusalem, and will sit on the charge bench in a new judicial battle during which he will seek to stay outside the prison and avoid the stain on his legacy.

Netanyahu was charged with fraud and breach of trust in File "1,000", which states that he received gifts of luxurious types of cigars, champagne and jewelry worth 700,000 shekels ($ 196,000) from wealthy people, in exchange for financial or personal services.

In 2009, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert resigned after he recommended that the police be charged with corruption, and he was tried and convicted of taking bribes, and was sentenced to 27 months' imprisonment, but was released after 16 months.

Like Netanyahu, Olmert belongs to the right-wing Likud party.

Netanyahu is also accused of exchanging illegal services in order to obtain positive coverage for him in Yedioth Ahronoth, the best-selling Israeli newspaper.

Among the accusations leveled against him are attempting to obtain positive coverage also on the website "Wala" in exchange for securing government concessions that brought millions of dollars to the head of the "Bezeq" communications group and the "Wala" Shaul Illovic website.

After months of waiting and repeated police interrogations to Netanyahu, Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit made accusations counted by many commentators as a warning of a prime minister’s political death, but Netanyahu retained the Likud leadership, and after three inconclusive parliamentary elections, he managed to reach a power-sharing agreement with his main rival Benny Gantz.

Netanyahu's lawyers filed a request on Tuesday evening, exempting him from attending the session, because it is a session during which the indictment will be read out, while the Ministry of Justice demanded his attendance on Tuesday, and the Central Court rejected the petition on Wednesday.

The Netanyahu trial can extend for months or years, taking into account all possible appeals.

Under Israeli law, the current prime minister does not enjoy automatic immunity from prosecution, but he is also not obligated to resign on indictment, unless he is convicted and after all judicial means have been exhausted.

T/S

ANHA