Netanyahu’s testimony in graft trial canceled for the day amid shock Gaza offensive
PM says prosecutors approved cancellation due to ‘urgent security consultation’ following resumption of hostilities
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not testify as planned in his corruption trial on Tuesday following Israel’s surprise attack on the Gaza Strip, which ended a two-month ceasefire.
In his request that the court cancel the hearing, Netanyahu said the prosecution had approved the motion.
“Hours ago, the IDF commenced a military operation in the Gaza Strip,” read the request. “This morning at 11 an urgent security consultation will take place that will include the prime minister, defense minister and heads of the IDF security apparatus.”
Israel struck numerous sites across Gaza early Sunday, killing over 200 people, according to the Strip’s Hamas-run health ministry. It was the first large-scale attack on Gaza since Israel and Hamas signed a ceasefire and hostage release agreement in January.
The deal’s 42-day first phase saw Hamas release 33 women, children, civilian men over 50 and those deemed “humanitarian cases.”
The deal was supposed to transition on March 2 to a second phase that would have seen Hamas release 24 hostages still thought to be alive, but Netanyahu has held off on negotiating the second phase, which would have required Israel to withdraw from Gaza entirely — a red line for the premier’s far-right partners.
The hostilities were renewed as protest groups were set to hold a mass demonstration in Jerusalem Tuesday night over the premier’s plan to oust Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar. Critics of the premier have cast the plan as a bid to shirk responsibility for the Hamas onslaught, and to thwart a Shin Bet probe against his top aides for alleged ties to Qatar, which backs Hamas.
The Walla news site noted Bar was not among the security chiefs said to be participating in the “urgent security consultation” cited in Netanyahu’s request to cancel Tuesday’s hearing.
Netanyahu has frequently requested that hearings in his corruption trial be canceled so he could handle the war in Gaza. Hearings were also canceled for three weeks following the premier’s prostate surgery in late December.
Last month, judges granted Netanyahu’s request to hear his testimony twice a week, instead of three times a week as originally planned. The premier had failed to come to court three times in any week since his testimony began in December.
Netanyahu’s request to cancel Tuesday’s hearing came after prosecutors on Sunday rejected his request to cancel hearings next week due to Knesset votes on the state budget and a state visit by Argentinian President Javier Milei.
Lawyers on both sides of the trial, now in its fifth year, have said the premier’s testimony could last until April 2026.
Netanyahu is on trial in three corruption cases. 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.
Case 1000 revolves around allegations that Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, received expensive gifts illicitly from Hollywood media mogul Arnon Milchan worth some NIS 700,000 ($191,000), and that Netanyahu violated conflict of interest laws when he provided Milchan with assistance in renewing his long-term US residency visa and sought to help him with tax issues.
In Case 2000, the prime minister is accused of fraud and breach of trust over his alleged attempt to reach a quid pro quo agreement with the publisher of the Yedioth Aharaonot newspaper Arnon (Noni) Mozes, whereby Yedioth would give the prime minister more positive media coverage in exchange for legislation weakening its key rival, the Israel Hayom free sheet.
Case 4000, also known as the Bezeq-Walla case, is the most serious the prime minister faces, in which he is accused of authorizing regulatory decisions that financially benefited Bezeq telecommunications giant shareholder Elovitch by hundreds of millions of shekels. In return, Netanyahu allegedly received favorable media coverage from the Walla news site, which Elovitch also owned.
Netanyahu denies wrongdoing and claims the charges were fabricated in a political coup led by the police and state prosecution. In his testimony, the premier has clashed with judges and railed against the media, which he says is biased against him.
Jeremy Sharon contributed to this report.
The Times of Israel Community.