State Attorney’s Office opposes PM’s request to delay start of testimony in criminal trial

The State Attorney’s Office tells the Jerusalem District Court it opposes Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s request to delay the start of his testimony by 15 days, asserting that he has been given enough time to prepare.

Netanyahu’s defense team requested the delay yesterday, telling the court that they have been unable to properly prepare the prime minister to begin his testimony by December 2 as scheduled, due to the pressures of his timetable.

The State Attorney’s Office asserts that it is in the public interest for the defense in Netanyahu’s criminal trial to begin as quickly as possible, and says that his request lacked “substantive explanations for a change in circumstances” since the court already rejected an earlier request for a ten-week delay earlier this month.

The State Attorney’s Office also requests that the court complete its consultation with the Shin Bet domestic security service for security arrangements for the prime minister while he gives testimony.

The Jerusalem District Court does not have bomb shelters or bombproof spaces. Netanyahu’s legal team has requested a solution for this problem given the ongoing war and bombardment by Hezbollah from Lebanon.

The State Attorney’s Office requests that the Israel Court’s Administration and the Shin Bet complete the necessary work and present the options for these arrangements to the court by this Wednesday.