Report: PM asks court if he can testify just twice a week, start later in the morning than planned

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asks the Jerusalem District Court to reduce his expected testimony in his corruption trial from three times a week to twice a week, citing his busy schedule due to security meetings and the need for communication with officials abroad, the Kan public broadcaster reports.

Netanyahu also asks not to testify on consecutive days and for him to be allowed to start giving evidence an hour later than the scheduled time of 9 a.m.

According to Channel 12, the premier also asked that he finish in court by 3 p.m.

In the request, the premier says he would like to speak with the judges behind closed doors before he begins testifying, Kan reports.

The premier will take the stand in his corruption trial next week in an underground courtroom in Tel Aviv because the Jerusalem courtroom was deemed not secure enough. Media outlets have submitted a request to broadcast it live.

Netanyahu is set to begin testifying on December 10 after the Jerusalem District Court partially accepted a request by defense lawyers for a delay over concerns that they would not be able to prepare for the landmark appearance in time, due to Netanyahu’s intense schedule, as he deals with the wars Israel is fighting in Gaza and other fronts.

The prime minister is accused of fraud and breach of trust in three separate cases, including one in which he is also facing the more serious charge of bribery. Netanyahu denies all accusations.