Israel prosecution rejects Netanyahu’s request to delay testimony in corruption cases

Israel’s State Attorney has rejected a request by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to delay giving testimony in his corruption charge until March 2025.

Last month, Netanyahu’s lawyers requested the court postpone the date when he is due to give his testimony, claiming he needed more time to prepare it as a result of his management of the ongoing war on Gaza.

However, the State Attorney’s Office yesterday responded to the Jerusalem District Court and insisted that Netanyahu’s testimony start no later than 1 November, saying this would give him enough time to prepare. It also argued that the postponement would mean a de facto freeze of the criminal case against the premier for eight months

“The overriding public interest in this [legal] process is the completion of the criminal proceedings and a ruling, alongside the protection of the rights of the defendants and the rules of criminal procedure. Delay to the completion of the process causes substantial damage to the public,” the State Attorney’s Office said.

“There is for sure… no place for a de facto halt to the trial or for its suspension,” it added.

The Jerusalem District Court will hold a hearing on Netanyahu’s request tomorrow and then decide whether to accept it.

Netanyahu faces charges of fraud and breach of trust in Case 1000 and Case 2000, and charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust in Case 4000. He was indicted four and half years ago in January 2020 and the trial began in May of that year.

The opposition accuses Netanyahu of following policies that serve his personal interests including prolonging the war on the Gaza Strip indefinitely with the aim of avoiding the corruption cases against him and remaining in power.

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