Judges refuse to postpone Netanyahu’s graft trial

Israeli judges in former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s corruption trial yesterday rejected a request to postpone the trial until after the Jewish holidays in September, Ynet News reported.

Netanyahu’s lawyers claimed the postponement would allow them enough time to study prosecution material in Case 4000.

However, the Israeli news outlet reported that the judges agreed to a three-week postponement.

Netanyahu is entangled in four political scandals: Case 1000 which involves allegations that the PM and his wife accepted illegal gifts from businessmen; Case 2000 which accuses Netanyahu of attempting to buy favourable newspaper coverage; Case 3000, also known as the “submarine scandal” would have seen Israel purchase naval vessels and submarines from a German firm with millions of shekels allegedly “skimmed” off the top of the deals for personal profit; and Case 4000, in which a close associate of Netanyahu is suspected of providing confidential information to Israel’s largest telecoms company.

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