Netanyahu trial hearing to be cut by 2 hours due to ‘urgent diplomatic meeting’
Prime minister often asks to truncate the hearings, which occur four times a week, due to his responsibilities or his health
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Tuesday’s court hearing in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s long-running corruption trial will be shortened by two hours, after the premier requested that it end early due to an “urgent diplomatic meeting.”
The prosecution reportedly objected to the request, but it was approved by judges in the Jerusalem District Court, where Netanyahu has been on the stand since late last year. The hearing will run from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., rather than 4 p.m.
The request is the latest in a series of changes Netanyahu’s defense team has put before the court in recent weeks. He has repeatedly asked to end hearings early due to affairs of state or his health.
The nature of the “urgent” meeting was not specified, though it was later reported that he was set to meet US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. Netanyahu has long complained that the trial, which began in 2020, interferes with his duties as prime minister.
Netanyahu is on trial in three corruption cases, the first sitting prime minister in Israeli history to face criminal charges. He faces charges of fraud and breach of trust in Case 1000 and Case 2000, and charges of bribery, as well as fraud and breach of trust, in Case 4000.
The premier has denied any wrongdoing and said all the charges were fabricated in a political coup led by the police and state prosecution.
Over the past month, Netanyahu’s team again requested that the number of hearings per week be reduced from four to three, citing his work as well as that of his attorneys. That request was denied.
Judges increased the number of hearings in order to accelerate the trial, where cross-examination of Netanyahu began in June and his testimony alone is due to stretch into next April. The trial may last into 2027.
The judges, however, decided last week that Netanyahu no longer needs to enter the courtroom before them. That means he will not have to face reporters or be photographed before each hearing.
Also last week, Netanyahu cited a security matter in requesting to end a hearing three hours early. The request was accepted. Two weeks before that, the prime minister, now 76, asked to end a hearing early due to his ill health.
US President Donald Trump has criticized the prosecution of Netanyahu several times and, during an address last month in the Knesset, asked President Isaac Herzog to grant him a pardon. Trump said Sunday night in a TV interview that the US will weigh in on Netanyahu’s trial.
“We’ll be involved in that to help him out a little bit because I think it’s very unfair,” Trump told “60 Minutes.”
Jacob Magid contributed to this report.
The Times of Israel Community.