Netanyahu lawyers claim demand for 3 days of testimony a week is unfair

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s defense team accuses the State Attorney’s Office of unfairly creating difficulties for the premier in his criminal defense trial, saying that its opposition to Netanyahu’s request to testify two days a week instead of three is unjustified based on other criminal trials currently underway.

In a filing to the Jerusalem District Court, Netanyahu’s lawyers point to a major corruption case against Ronel Fisher, an attorney, and former head of the State Attorney’s Office in Tel Aviv Ruth David, in which the State Attorney’s Office agreed to reduce the number of days of testimony to two a week, instead of three. Fisher was first arrested in 2015.

The prime minister’s defense team says that there are no similar cases around the country in which the defendant has to testify more than twice a week, and asserts that the State Attorney’s Office is trying to harm Netanyahu’s defense.

“For some reason, the prosecutor is rushing only in this case, and only when it harms the prime minister’s defense,” his lawyers tell the court.

“It’s hard to credit the claim of equality before the law when what the prosecutor is asking for is the exact opposite of equality. To rush the prime minister beyond all logic and beyond what is acceptable, with the aim of harming his defense.”

Netanyahu is scheduled to begin testifying in his trial on corruption charges on Tuesday.