Cabinet members rally behind call to delay Netanyahu’s graft trial testimony after collapse of Syrian regime

Almost all of the members of the security cabinet have petitioned Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara to delay the start of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s testimony in his graft trial, given the recent fall of the Syrian regime and the ongoing war in Gaza.

Ynet news reports that all ministers apart from Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and Defense Minister Israel Katz have signed the letter, penned by Shas chair Aryeh Deri.

“For over a year, Israel has been in an ongoing, multi-front security event, which, as is well known, began with the brutal massacre by Hamas terrorists,” on October 7, 2023, Deri reportedly writes to the attorney general.

“In the past week alone, many significant events have occurred in the security and political arena, some of which are known to the general public and some of which are still classified. There is no doubt in my mind that this is a fateful time for the State of Israel, one of the most fateful times we have known.”

He asserts that at this time, the prime minister should be focused entirely on “natural interests” and that giving testimony will block him from fulfilling that duty.

Netanyahu is currently scheduled to begin his testimony in an underground room in the Tel Aviv District Court on Tuesday at 10 a.m.

The opposition has accused him of trying to indefinitely push off his potentially damaging testimony. The testimony comes after a series of delays stemming from the war against Hamas in Gaza and, until last week, against Hezbollah in Lebanon.