An Israeli court on Wednesday denied a request by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to be excused from attending the start of his impending corruption trial.
The ruling by the Jerusalem District Court, where the first hearing is to be held on Sunday, cited a clause in Israeli criminal law stating that "a person may not be tried on criminal charges except in his presence".
Mr Netanyahu's legal team on Tuesday asked the court to allow Mr Netanyahu's absence from the formal reading of the charges against him, despite written objections by the state attorney's office.
The premier's presence in the court requires five bodyguards, his lawyers wrote, meaning the hearing would not be able to take place "within the limitations set by the health ministry due to the coronavirus pandemic".
Mr Netanyahu's lawyers insisted that Sunday's hearing was "technical" and there was "no need for the prime minister to attend".
The prosecution's real reason for insisting Mr Netanyahu be in court was "a media campaign seeking to show the prime minister in the dock", the lawyers claimed in their request.
The court's ruling on Wednesday, published by the justice ministry, was unequivocal.
"We reject the request of the petitioner to be absent from the reading (of the charges)," it said.
Mr Netanyahu's trial on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust had been scheduled to start in March, but was postposed to May 24 due to lockdown measures to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Mr Netanyahu denies allegations that he accepted improper gifts and sought to illegally trade favours in exchange for positive media coverage.
He is the first prime minister in Israel's history to be indicted while in office.
The country's premier since 2009, Mr Netanyahu extended his record tenure on Sunday when parliament swore in a new three-year coalition government to end more than 500 days of political deadlock.
Mr Netanyahu, head of the right-wing Likud party, will lead the government for 18 months before vacating the premier's office for his former rival Benny Gantz.
Mr Netanyahu's trial, including all appeals, could take several years.
The five pillars of Islam
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The specs
Engine: 4-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: nine-speed
Power: 542bhp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: Dh848,000
On sale: now
Results:
Men's wheelchair 800m T34: 1. Walid Ktila (TUN) 1.44.79; 2. Mohammed Al Hammadi (UAE) 1.45.88; 3. Isaac Towers (GBR) 1.46.46.
Take Me Apart
Kelela
(Warp)
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Captain Marvel
Director: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck
Starring: Brie Larson, Samuel L Jackson, Jude Law, Ben Mendelsohn
4/5 stars
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
The bio
Studied up to grade 12 in Vatanappally, a village in India’s southern Thrissur district
Was a middle distance state athletics champion in school
Enjoys driving to Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah with family
His dream is to continue working as a social worker and help people
Has seven diaries in which he has jotted down notes about his work and money he earned
Keeps the diaries in his car to remember his journey in the Emirates
'Outclassed in Kuwait'
Taleb Alrefai,
HBKU Press
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