Israeli PM Netanyahu seeks delay in corruption trial testimony

Jerusalem. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has filed a petition with the court stating that he is unable to provide testimony in the ongoing corruption case against him. His lawyers informed the Jerusalem District Court on Friday that he would be unable to appear for the hearing scheduled to begin this coming Sunday.

Claiming that a ceasefire was only declared on Wednesday following the war with Iran and that the country's security situation remains sensitive, he has requested a postponement of his testimony.

The letter submitted by Netanyahu's lawyers to the court states, 'Due to the dramatic developments in Israel and West Asia in recent days, as well as highly classified security and diplomatic reasons, the Prime Minister is unable to testify for the next two weeks.'

Netanyahu has also submitted a sealed letter to the court detailing those classified reasons. The court will make a final decision on the matter after receiving a response from the public prosecutor.

Netanyahu is the first Prime Minister in Israel's history to face criminal charges while in office. He was charged with bribery, fraud, and breach of trust in 2019, and the formal trial began in 2020.

He has consistently denied all these allegations. The case has been postponed multiple times previously, citing various state obligations, leaving the timeline for a final verdict uncertain.

Netanyahu's popularity has declined significantly due to the ongoing war and serious corruption charges. Elections are scheduled in Israel for this coming October, and recent polls suggest that Netanyahu's right-wing coalition could face a major defeat.

In this context, opposition leaders view Netanyahu's delay regarding the court testimony as a stalling strategy.