The corruption trial of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel resumed on Monday, bringing again into focus the authorized and political challenges he faces whilst he presides over the Israeli army’s warfare in Gaza.

Israeli courts stopped listening to non-urgent circumstances after Hamas launched its shock assault from Gaza on Oct. 7, however on Friday the nation’s justice minister, Yariv Levin, mentioned that the majority regular court docket operations may resume as a result of the suspension had expired.

Mr. Netanyahu didn’t attend Monday’s listening to, which handled procedural points, in accordance with Israeli information media studies.

He may testify in particular person within the spring as a part of the protection’s case.

Mr. Netanyahu has been on trial since 2020, accused of bestowing political favors on businessmen in trade for costly items and providing regulatory advantages to media moguls in trade for constructive information protection. He denies the costs and has rejected calls to resign.

Over the summer time, lawmakers from Mr. Netanyahu’s right-wing occasion, Likud, launched a invoice that will have stripped the lawyer basic — who has been important of him — of the power to supervise the prosecution of presidency ministers, together with the prime minister. The invoice was later withdrawn but it surely got here amid heightened protests that had been occurring for months over the federal government’s efforts to say extra authority over the judiciary.

Because the trial resumes, Mr. Netanyahu’s standing with the Israeli public has worsened. Many Israelis blame his authorities for the failure of the safety companies to stop the assault by Hamas, through which roughly 1,200 individuals had been killed, in accordance with Israeli authorities, and about 240 individuals taken hostage.