Israeli prime minister seeks to shorten his court appearances in corruption trial

By Abdelraouf Arnaout

JERUSALEM (AA) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked the court on Wednesday to reduce the time of his testimony in his trial on corruption charges.

Netanyahu is set to testify before the Tel Aviv District Court on Tuesday to defend himself against charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust.

According to Israeli Channel 12, the Israeli premier asked the court to appear only twice a week instead of three times.

He also requested to have his court sessions begin at 10:00 a.m. local time (0800 GMT) instead of 9:00 a.m. and end at 3:00 p.m. (1400 GMT).

Netanyahu's defense team cited the prime minister’s busy schedule for the request to reduce the time of his testimony.

"He works almost every day until late at night, whether due to cabinet meetings, security consultations, or the need to communicate with various entities abroad,” they argued.

The court has yet to decide on Netanyahu's request.

According to Israeli media, the court judges had already approved Netanyahu's request to relocate his trial from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv for security reasons.

"The sessions will be held in a secret underground courtroom,” Channel 12 said.

Netanyahu was initially scheduled to appear in court on Dec. 2, but the court approved his request to postpone his appearance until Tuesday due to his busy schedule.

The court rejected requests by Israeli media outlets to broadcast Netanyahu’s testimony live.

In late November 2019, then-Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit announced his decision to file an official indictment against Netanyahu, charging him with three corruption cases.

Netanyahu's trial began in 2020 at the Jerusalem District Court. He, however, continues to deny any wrongdoing.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala