Israeli Court Rejects Netanyahu’s Request to Postpone Testimony in Corruption Trial.

Israeli Court Rejects Netanyahu’s Request to Postpone Testimony in Corruption Trial

A Jerusalem court on Friday denied Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bid for a two-week delay in his testimony, citing a lack of sufficient justification for the postponement in his ongoing corruption trial.

The Jerusalem District Court rejected the request, with Justice Rivka Friedman-Feldman stating that the defense had not provided a detailed basis to justify canceling scheduled evidentiary hearings.

Netanyahu’s attorney, Amit Hadad, had argued that the prime minister needed the time to focus on urgent diplomatic, national, and security matters following the recent war with Iran and ongoing efforts to reach a comprehensive deal to end the war in Gaza and negotiate normalization agreements with additional Arab countries.

However, the State Attorney’s Office opposed the request, noting that previous accommodations had already been made, including a reduced schedule for Netanyahu’s testimony.

Netanyahu is currently facing trial in three separate corruption cases, accused of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust.

The charges stem from allegations that he provided favors to wealthy individuals in exchange for gifts and favorable media coverage for himself and his family.

The trial, which began in 2020, has progressed slowly and remains a source of significant political division in Israel, with Netanyahu’s supporters criticizing the judiciary and his detractors calling for his resignation.