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A28 WORLD NEWS
Monday 25 May 2020
Israel’s Netanyahu attacks justice system as trial begins

By ARON HELLER Netanyahu faces charges
Associated Press of fraud, breach of trust
JERUSALEM (AP) — To the and accepting bribes in
sounds of his impassioned a series of corruption cas-
supporters chanting out- es stemming from ties to
side, a defiant Israeli Prime wealthy friends. He is ac-
Minister Benjamin Netan- cused of accepting lavish
yahu strode into a Jerusa- gifts and offering to grant
lem courtroom Sunday to favors to powerful media
face corruption charges moguls in exchange for fa-
in a long-awaited trial that vorable coverage of him
has overshadowed three and his family. He denies
inconclusive elections and the charges, which come
deeply divided the coun- after years of scandals
try. swirling around the family.
As he entered the court- During the proceedings,
house to become the the lawyers and judges also
country's first sitting prime wore masks, with the three-
minister to go on trial, Ne- judge panel sitting behind
tanyahu launched into a a glass divider. In a hint of
lengthy tirade against the what could lie ahead, his
nation's justice system in lawyer said the defense
which he accused police, would need several months
prosecutors, judges and People protest against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hold banners outside his residence in to study the hundreds of
the media of a deep state- Jerusalem, Sunday, May 24, 2020. Associated Press. reams of evidence and to
type conspiracy aimed to build its legal team.
oust him against the will of from the leadership of the tacks on the legal system ecution seeking to topple Netanyahu did not speak
the people. country for many years." risk irreversible damage to a leader of historic propor- during the one-hour session,
"I stand before you with a The standoff, and Netan- citizens' faith in state institu- tion. Others gathered at his rising just once to confirm
straight back and head yahu's own fiery rhetoric, tions. official residence to dem- he understood the charg-
raised high," he said, sur- looked to worsen the na- Outside the courthouse, onstrate against what they es. He will not be required
rounded by leading Cabi- tion's deep divisions just hundreds of supporters ral- called a "crime minister" to attend future hearings
net ministers of his Likud after Netanyahu swore in lied in his defense, pack- and carried posters call- during a case that legal
party. "The objective is to what he called a "unity" ing a narrow street while ing for his resignation. They analysts expect to stretch
depose a strong, right-wing government with a former waving Israeli flags and faced off across police over several years. The next
prime minister, and thus re- rival. Critics have said Ne- banners denouncing what barricades with more of the hearing was scheduled for
move the nationalist camp tanyahu's repeated at- they called a corrupt pros- prime minister's backers. July 19.q

Hong Kong police fire tear gas, water cannon at protesters

Continued from Page 27 national legislative session Hong Kong residents. And crying the proposed legis- delegate to the National
on Friday. It would bypass it does not affect the legiti- lation. In a statement, the People's Congress in Bei-
At least 180 people were Hong Kong's legislature mate rights and interests of coalition called it a "fla- jing, defended the na-
arrested, mostly on charg- and could allow mainland foreign investors in Hong grant breach" of the Sino- tional security legislation
es of unlawful assembly, agencies to be set up in Kong," he said. British Joint Declaration, a pushed by China, saying
police said. the city, sparking concern U.S. Secretary of State 1984 treaty that promised it was written into Hong
They also said that some of that Chinese agents could Mike Pompeo has called Hong Kong a high degree Kong's Basic Law — the
the protesters threw bricks arbitrarily arrest people for the proposal "a death knell of autonomy even after city's mini-constitution —
and splashed unidentified activities deemed to be for the high degree of au- the handover of Hong but never enacted.
liquid at officers, injuring at pro-democracy. tonomy" that Beijing prom- Kong to China in 1997. Chan expressed concern
least four members of the Speaking at an annual ised the former British colo- President Donald Trump's that Hong Kong would in-
police media liaison team. news conference dur- ny when it was returned to national security adviser, evitably face economic
They warned that such be- ing the legislative session, China in 1997. Robert O'Brien, said it ap- hardship given trade fric-
havior is against the law Chinese Foreign Minister Chris Patten, the last Brit- peared that China was tions between the U.S. and
and that police would pur- Wang Yi said Sunday that ish governor of Hong Kong violating the 1984 treaty. China.
sue the matter. Hong Kong affairs were an prior to its handover to "And I can't see how Hong "I think we are definitely the
Earlier in the afternoon, internal matter for China, China, lamented what he Kong remains the Asian collateral damage being
prominent activist Tam and that "no external inter- called "a new Chinese dic- financial center if the Chi- dragged into this thing. But
Tak-chi was arrested dur- ference will be tolerated." tatorship." "I think the Hong nese Communist Party then, I don't think there's
ing the protest for what "Excessive unlawful foreign Kong people have been goes through and imple- any alternatives," he said.
police said was unauthor- meddling in Hong Kong betrayed by China, which ments this national security "But with or without this
ized assembly. Tam said he affairs has placed China's has proved once again law and takes over Hong law, honestly, the U.S. and
was giving a "health talk" national security in seri- that you can't trust it fur- Kong," O'Brien said Sunday China are always going
and was exempt from so- ous jeopardy," Wang said, ther than you can throw it," on CBS's "Face the Nation." to be continuing this log-
cial-distancing measures adding that the proposed Patten said in an interview "That would be a tragedy gerhead for quite some
that prohibit gatherings of legislation "does not affect with The Times of London. for the people of Hong time to come," Chan said.
more than eight people. the high degree of auton- Patten is leading a coali- Kong, but it will also be very "China will remain as a
The bill that triggered Sun- omy in Hong Kong." tion of at least 204 inter- bad for China," he said. threat to the U.S. in terms
day's rally was submitted "It does not affect the rights national lawmakers and Bernard Chan, a top-level of the ... world economic
at the opening of China's and freedoms enjoyed by policymakers who are de- Hong Kong politician and dominance."q