Israel’s Netanyahu requests two-week break from corruption trial citing “regional developments”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday filed a formal request with the Jerusalem District Court to postpone his upcoming testimony in his criminal trial by two weeks citing “diplomatic, national and security issues of the first order,”.

The request, submitted by Netanyahu’s attorney, Amit Hadad, claimed that in the wake of the war on Iran, as well as “additional regional and international developments”, the prime minister must devote all of his time and energy to addressing top-tier political, national, and security issues, including the management of the war on Gaza and the Israeli captives there.

Netanyahu’s defence attorneys indicated that they would attempt to summon additional defence witnesses during this period “as much as possible”.

On Friday, Israel’s Haaretz newspaper reported that the state prosecution said it opposes the postponement.

Earlier on Thursday, Netanyahu shared a post by the US President Donald Trump calling for his trial to be cancelled.

“Thank you, President Trump, for your moving support for me and for your tremendous support for Israel and the Jewish people” wrote Netanyahu, adding “we will continue to work together to defeat our common enemies, free our captives, and quickly expand the circle of peace”.