Faced with fears of the spread of the new coronavirus, the corruption trial of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which was due to open on Tuesday, has been postponed for two months, the Jerusalem court said.
"In view of the spread of the coronavirus and according to the instructions limiting the work of the courts to urgent cases only, we have decided to postpone the first hearing until May 24, 2020", the court said on Sunday in a statement. The Ministry of Justice decided on Saturday to limit the activities of the courts to urgent cases.
Benjamin Netanyahu, the first head of government in the history of Israel to be indicted during his term, is charged with corruption, embezzlement and breach of trust in three cases. He claims his innocence and claims to be the victim of " witch hunt " orchestrated by the prosecution services and the media.
Negotiations
He is currently in political negotiations to form a new government, as the legislative elections of March 2 did not allow him a sufficient lead over his rival, the centrist Benny Gantz.
The Prime Minister again called on Saturday evening to form an emergency government and a national union to deal with the spread of the new coronavirus.
The latest report from the Ministry of Health reports 200 cases of contamination in the country. Israel announced new measures on Saturday to try to stop the spread of the epidemic, including closing restaurants and cafes and banning gatherings of more than ten people.
