JERUSALEM, 8 February, 2021 (TON): Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s longest- serving leader returned to court six weeks prior to national elections.

Protesters hold banners and placards as they demonstrate against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he attends a hearing in his corruption trial in Jerusalem.

His corruption trial resumed on Monday while is all set to formally respond to the charges against him.

The Israeli leader will officially enter his plea to charges of fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in three corruption cases.

To this Netanyahu made no immediate statement to reporters on Monday in the Jerusalem court building.

On Sunday told his supporters that "I urge you, for the sake of your health, for the sake of the health of all of us, don't come," in reference to the pandemic.

The trial comes just weeks before national elections in which Netanyahu hopes to extend his 12-year rule.

Netanyahu pleaded not guilty to corruption charges in court, Israeli media reported.

While referring to a January document his lawyers gave to the court that argued he was not guilty of the charges he said, "I confirm the written answer submitted in my name.”

Protesters gathered outside the courthouse could be heard inside the room where the hearing was taking place.

His offenses include accepting of improper gifts such as cigars and champagne as well as trading favors with powerful media moguls, grant of regulatory worth hundreds of millions of dollars to the owner of the Bezeq telecom company in exchange for positive coverage on its news site and a fabricated and ludicrous who claimed to be the victim of a witch-hunt.

His ruling coalition collapsed in December, and he now faces a tough reelection in the March 23 parliamentary elections.

In May the leader came to the court but the trial delayed by the lockdown, it is his second appearance.

According to the Israeli law, Cabinet ministers are to resign when charged with criminal offenses but does not stipulate the case of a prime minister under indictment.