Israel’s Judiciary Ministry announced Tuesday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s court case will start March 17.
Netanyahu is the first sitting Israeli prime minister to be charged with a crime. The 70-year-old Likud party leader has been charged with bribery, breach of trust and fraud. He will stand trial before a three-judge panel.
The start of the trial will come two weeks after Israel’s third election in a year happens on March 2, after Netanyahu and his political opponents all failed to win a majority of the vote in April and September, Reuters reports.
The Israeli lawmaker has been at the helm of the country for the past decade making him the longest-serving leader in the country’s history. Between all three charges, he could face up to 16 years in prison if convicted.
Netanyahu has denied all wrongdoing.