Netanyahu to attend court 3 times a week from January in corruption trial

(Update: adds trial date and details throughout)

Jerusalem, Jul 19 (EFE).- Benjamin Netanyahu will be required to attend court three times a week from January when witnesses are called in his corruption trial.

Proceedings against the Israeli leader continued on Sunday, which is a working day in the country, but Netanyahu did not attend.

Jerusalem District Court ruled that cross-examination of witnesses in the case will start in January in what is expected to be a long trial.

Netanyahu’s lawyer Yossi Segev had requested a six-month adjournment due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

“It will be difficult for me to confront a witness with a mask and see if he is telling the truth,” Segev said.

The court ruled that witness interrogation will take place on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays and all defendants, including Netanyahu, must be present.

The first preliminary hearing took place in May after Israel’s judicial system was paralyzed by the coronavirus pandemic, which had already delayed the start of the process in March.

Around a dozen people waving Israeli flags gathered on Sunday outside the court building in support of Netanyahu.

Thousands of citizens took to the streets on Saturday night demonstrating against his management of the coronavirus pandemic.