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Netanyahu Corruption Trial to Begin March 17, Soon After Voting

Netanyahu Corruption Trial to Begin March 17, Soon After Voting

(Bloomberg) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s corruption trial will begin March 17, according to an emailed statement from a judiciary spokesman.

The Israeli leader has been indicted in three influence-peddling cases, and charges include bribery and fraud. His trial is set to begin just two weeks after he faces voters in an election on March 2.

Netanyahu failed to secure victory in a pair of deadlocked elections last year, and polls ahead of the latest ballot show him failing to form a government with his right-wing and religious allies. He is charged with accepting lavish gifts from wealthy friends and scheming with media moguls to trade regulatory favors for positive news coverage.

To contact the reporter on this story: Ivan Levingston in Tel Aviv at ilevingston@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Lin Noueihed at lnoueihed@bloomberg.net, Amy Teibel

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