Tel Aviv, MINA – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday requested the court to postpone his testimony in the long-running corruption trial, following US President Donald Trump’s call to dismiss the case.
Trump’s move to support Netanyahu in the legal proceedings drew criticism from several Israeli politicians, including members of the prime minister’s own coalition and opposition leaders, The New Arab reported.
The development comes just days after both Trump and Netanyahu declared victory over Iran in a 12-day conflict, during which Israel bombarded the Islamic Republic and US warplanes launched missile strikes on its nuclear facilities.
In a court submission, Netanyahu’s lawyer, Amit Hadad, stated that Netanyahu’s testimony should be postponed due to “regional and global developments.”
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“The court is respectfully requested to order the cancellation of the hearings in which the Prime Minister is scheduled to testify in the next two weeks,” said Netanyahu’s lawyer in the submission.
The submission stated that Netanyahu is “forced to devote all his time and energy to managing the most important national, diplomatic, and security matters” following the conflict with Iran and during the ongoing fighting in Gaza, where Israeli hostages are being held.
On Wednesday, Trump described the case against Netanyahu as a “witch hunt.”
In a message on his Truth Social platform, Trump said Netanyahu’s trial “must be dropped, immediately, or a Pardon be granted to the Great Hero,” following the end of the war with Iran.
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On Thursday, Netanyahu thanked Trump for “your sincere support for me and your extraordinary support for Israel and the Jewish people.”
“I look forward to continuing to work with you to defeat our common enemies, free our hostages, and quickly expand the circle of peace,” Netanyahu wrote on X, while sharing a screenshot of Trump’s Truth Social post.
Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid said in an interview with the Ynet news site: “We thank President Trump, but a president should not interfere in the trial of an independent country.”
Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing in the trial, which has been delayed multiple times since it began in May 2020.
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In the first case, Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, are accused of receiving luxury items worth more than $260,000 such as cigars, jewelry, and champagne from billionaires in exchange for political favors.
In the two other cases, Netanyahu is accused of attempting to negotiate more favorable coverage in two Israeli media outlets.
During his current term since late 2022, Netanyahu’s government has proposed a series of sweeping judicial reforms, which critics say are intended to weaken the courts.
Netanyahu has requested several postponements in the trial, the latest citing the ongoing war in Gaza since April 2023, then in Lebanon, and earlier this month in Iran. [Nia]
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