JERUSALEM, April 9 (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s long-running corruption trial will resume on Sunday, the courts’ spokesperson said on Thursday, hours after Israel lifted a state of emergency imposed over its war with Iran.
Iran began targeting Israel with ballistic missiles and drones after Israel and U.S. President Donald Trump launched air strikes on Iran on February 28, citing the aims of preventing it projecting force abroad, ending its nuclear programme and encouraging the overthrow of its rulers.
The emergency, which had closed schools and workplaces, was lifted on Wednesday evening as no incoming Iranian missiles had been reported since 3 a.m. (midnight GMT) after a ceasefire was agreed. Extensive Israeli attacks on Lebanon over the presence there of Iran-backed Hezbollah have since jeopardised the truce.
“With the lifting of the state of emergency and the return of the judicial system to work, hearings will resume as usual,” a statement from the Israeli courts said, adding that they would take place between Sundays and Wednesdays.
Netanyahu, the first sitting Israeli prime minister to be charged with a crime, denies charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust brought in 2019 after years of investigations. His trial, which began in 2020 and could lead to jail terms, has been repeatedly delayed due to his official commitments, with no end date in sight.
