Israeli prosecution cancels Netanyahu’s corruption trial sessions next week over US visit

Israeli prosecutors have granted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s request to delay next week’s corruption trial hearings, allowing him to attend scheduled meetings with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington, according to local media reports on Wednesday, as cited by Anadolu.

The Israeli premier is set to visit the US next week for talks with Trump and other senior US officials on the Gaza war, Iran, and other regional issues.

According to Israel’s public broadcaster KAN, Netanyahu asked to cancel his trial sessions next week, citing his visit to the US, and the prosecution approved his request.

This week’s trial sessions were also cancelled by the Jerusalem District Court after a similar request by the premier.

The cancellation came after Trump’s repeated calls for Netanyahu’s trial to be cancelled, calling the trial a “witch hunt” against the prime minister.

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Netanyahu faces charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust that could lead to imprisonment if proven.

In January, Netanyahu began interrogation sessions related to Cases 1000, 2000, and 4000, which he denies. The attorney general filed an indictment related to these cases at the end of November 2019.

Netanyahu, whose trial began on May 24, 2020, is the first sitting Israeli leader to take the stand as a criminal defendant in the country’s history.

He also faces charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity, with the International Criminal Court issuing arrest warrants for him and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in November 2024 over atrocities in Gaza, where more than 56,600 people, mostly women and children, have been killed since Oct. 7, 2023.

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