Tel Aviv (dpa) - Benjamin Netanyahu's corruption trial resumed on Sunday, a court spokeswoman confirmed, as the Israeli prime minister and his cabinet face growing anger over their handling of the coronavirus crisis.

In the second session since the trial opened on May 24, prosecutors are expected to request that the Jerusalem District Court call up the first witnesses in three to four months.

The court in May ruled that Netanyahu would not have to be present for the second session.

His lawyers are expected to push for a delay to the start of the witnesses stage on his behalf.

They are likely to argue that they need more time to prepare, after Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit on June 30 said the prime minister may not accept 10 million Israeli shekels (3 million US dollars) in outside funding for his legal expenses.

The donation by US tycoon Spencer Partrich could be perceived as an "illicit gift," Mandelblit ruled.

Part of the indictment against Netanyahu concerns illegal gifts that he allegedly received.

Israel's longest-serving prime minister was formally charged with bribery, fraud and breach of trust in January.

Netanyahu allegedly accepted expensive gifts and attempted to improve press coverage by offering political favours to wealthy businessmen and media moguls. He has denied any wrongdoing and says the charges are politically motivated by a prosecution seeking to oust him.

If he is convicted for bribery, Netanyahu could face up to 10 years in prison. For fraud and breach of trust, he could face a maximum sentence of three years, though that sentence is seen as unlikely.