Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s corruption trial resumes today in Jerusalem, almost two months after it was adjourned following the bloody attack by Hamas against Israel on October 7.

74-year-old Benjamin Netanyahu is accused for accepting numerous gifts worth 700,000 shekels (176,000 euros). These kick-off gifts took the form of cigars, bottles of champagne and jewelry during the period 2007-2016.

He is accused of corruption, fraud and abuse of power.

Among the “donors”, the wealthy Israeli, entrepreneur and Hollywood producer Arnon Millhan (Brazil, JFK, Pretty woman). There are suspicions that in return he received a tax settlement that would have netted him millions of dollars. However, Israel’s finance ministry vetoed it.

Netanyahu states that all he did was accept gifts from friends, gifts he didn’t ask for, and he considers himself a victim of a witch hunt.

According to the Israeli press, the Israeli prime minister will not immediately be called to the standbut is likely to appear to testify as the trial unfolds in the coming months.

His trial, which began in 2020, is unprecedented for a sitting prime minister in Israel.

Prime minister from 1996 to 1999 and then from 2009 to 2021, Netanyahu returns to the post after a brief absence following the 2022 elections, when in order to regain the prime ministership he needed to form a government coalition with the parties of the Israeli extreme right and religious extremism.

After the October 7 attack, which resulted in killing 1,200 people and taking dozens hostage, Netanyahu was accused by the opposition of failing to prevent the unprecedented attack by Hamas and was forced to form an emergency government with the participation of his political rival Benny Gantz.

The two of them swore that they will “eliminate” Hamas and with this goal they are leading a destructive war campaign in the Gaza Strip with 15,500 dead and 41,300 injured, according to the Health Ministry of the Hamas organization.

Politicians close to Netanyahu criticized the resumption amid war of the hearingswhich will de facto be limited by the absence of witnesses or lawyers who are enlisted.