Court Once Again Grants Netanyahu’s Request to Delay Corruption Trial
The ruling comes amid pressure from Trump, and shortly after a closed-door hearing with the prime minister and two Israeli intel chiefs. A look at the chronology of events is rather illuminating.
A Jerusalem district court has granted Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s request to cancel his scheduled testimony in his corruption trial for this week following a “closed-door hearing” with the IDF’s intelligence chief and the head of the Mossad, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reports.
“Their appearance in court was made at the request of Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz…”
“The decision followed an initial rejection by the court on Friday…”
“Too early to determine whether testimony should also be canceled for the following week…”
“Netanyahu’s testimony, originally slated to begin in July 2024, had already been postponed due to the war in Gaza. It eventually began in December…”
“He has repeatedly requested to cancel or shorten court sessions for various reasons – requests that the judges have often granted… [a] visit to the Syrian side of Mount Hermon… surgery… a trip to Washington… renewed fighting in Gaza… a critical Knesset vote… another official visit to Washington…”
“On multiple occasions, hearings were cut short after Netanyahu complained of feeling unwell or suffering from back pain. Other sessions were interrupted when the prime minister took urgent calls with international leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump…”
Timeline
Here’s an abridged, chronological timeline of some of the relevant events of the past month—
Mon, June 2: The Times of Israel reports that “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s criminal trial will hit a significant milestone on Tuesday morning, as prosecutors will finally get the opportunity to cross-examine the premier, fully five years after the trial opened.”
Tue, June 3: During his first day of cross-examination, prosecutors question Netanyahu about (among other things) his relationship with Israeli billionaire and spy Arnon Milchan, and note that (per the Times of Israel) Netanyahu “said fully 1,778 times during police questioning… that he ‘doesn’t remember,’ and that his use of the phrase increased as the interrogation sessions continued.”
Wed, June 4: Netanyahu appears in court for a second day of cross-examination, where he is again questioned about Milchan.
Mon, June 9: Netanyahu is back in court for his third day of cross-examination, but the hearing ends early due to an “important diplomatic call” at 2:30pm.
Tue, June 10: Netanyahu’s testimony reportedly begins “behind closed doors due to the sensitivity of the information disclosed.”
Wed, June 11: Netanyahu’s testimony ends “after about an hour” after he complains of feeling unwell. Meanwhile, the New York Post reports that Netanyahu “could see himself booted from power as the Knesset faces the first vote to dissolve parliament on Wednesday amid frustrations over the protracted war in Gaza” and his government’s insistence on enforcing “the mandatory draft for the ultra-Orthodox community,” calling it “the most serious challenge to his power yet.”
Thu, June 12: In a follow-up article, the New York Post reports that Netanyahu’s government has “survived” the vote and “will remain in power… after an agreement was reached with [the] ultra-Orthodox parties.”
Fri, June 13: The Israeli military launches an unprecedented attack on Iran. Netanyahu says it’s meant to save Israel from “a nuclear holocaust perpetrated by the Iranian regime” and will “continue for as many days as it takes to remove the threat.” Trump says: “Two months ago I gave Iran a 60 day ultimatum to ‘make a deal.’ They should have done it! Today is day 61.”
Sun, June 15: During an interview with ABC News, Trump says that the U.S. is “not involved” in Israel’s ongoing attacks on Iran, but adds that it’s “possible we could get involved.” Iran’s foreign minister says they do not “believe the U.S.’s claim,” stating that Israel’s attacks could not have happened “without the agreement and support of the United States.”
Mon, Jun 16: Confronted with the fact that his own Director of National Intelligence (Tulsi Gabbard) said in March that Iran was not building a nuclear weapon,” Trump replies, “I don’t care what she said. I think they were very close to having one.”
Tue, June 17: Trump publicly suggests that he greenlit Israel’s strikes on Iran, demands their “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!”, and threatens to possibly kill Ayatollah Khamenei: “We know exactly where the so-called ‘Supreme Leader’ is hiding,” he says, “We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now…Our patience is wearing thin.” He also tells reporters that he speaks to Netanyahu “every day,” that Netanyahu is “a good man” who has been doing a “good job,” that he should “keep going,” and that he’s been “very unfairly treated by his country,” seemingly referring to the corruption trial. “He’s a wartime president and he’s going through this nonsense?” Trump added. “It’s ridiculous.”
Wed, June 18: Regarding the ongoing military campaign against Iran, CNN reports reports that “Taking on Israel’s greatest foe has banished Netanyahu’s political troubles in an instant,” noting in part:
The weekly political protests – first over the judicial reform, then over the war in Gaza – that have dogged Netanyahu for much of his current term quickly vanished, with orders from Israel’s Homefront Command forbidding large gatherings of people. Netanyahu’s testimony in his trial on charges of corruption is on hold and out of the headlines. The stories of the hostages still held in Gaza for more than 600 days of war are no longer front-page news
Sat, June 21: Trump bombs nuclear sites in Iran without congressional approval, prompting calls for impeachment.
Sun, June 22: Trump announces an alleged “Complete and Total CEASEFIRE” that has been “fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran,” and that the ”Official END” of the war will occur within 24 hours. “CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE!”
Tue, June 24: Trump dramatically complains that Iran and Israel aren’t adhering to the “ceasefire.”
Wed, June 25: Trump posts a lengthy diatribe against the trial on Truth Social, praising Netanyahu as “a WARRIOR” and “GREAT HERO,” while calling the case against him a “ridiculous Witch Hunt” and “TRAVESTY OF ‘JUSTICE’” that “CAN NOT BE ALLOWED” and should be “CANCELED IMMEDIATELY.” He added that “It was the United States of America that saved Israel, and now it is going to be the United States of America that saves Bibi Netanyahu.”
Thur, June 26: Netanyahu’s lawyers submit a request asking the court to cancel the prime minister’s schedule cross-examination because, they say, he must “devote all his time and energy to urgent national, security, and diplomatic matters.”
Fri, June 27: The court rejects Netanyahu’s attempts to delay the trial—twice. As the Times of Israel reported:
The Jerusalem District Court on Friday twice rejected Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s requests for a two-week hiatus in his graft trial after the State Attorney’s Office said it opposed the move.
In a statement, Justice Rivka Friedman-Feldman said an initial request, submitted by Netanyahu’s defense attorney Amit Hadad, “does not present a detailed basis or reason that might justify canceling evidentiary hearings.”
Hours after the rejection, the premier submitted a second request, but this time, along with a copy of his schedule for the next week as evidence for needing the hearings to be postponed.
The second request was also rejected later Friday, with the court ruling that “in the schedule presented to the court, there is no exceptional information, details or issues that would justify cancelling the sessions.”
Sat, June 28: Trump posts another rant about the trial and implies that the U.S. may cut off its “Billions of Dollars a year” in funding to Israel if the “WITCH HUNT” goes forward. “We are not going to stand for this,” he writes. ”LET BIBI GO, HE’S GOT A BIG JOB TO DO!” Netanyahu thanks him on X and says he and Trump will “make the Middle East Great Again!”:
Sun, June 29: At the request of Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz, the court holds a closed-door hearing with Netanyahu, IDF Intelligence Chief Maj. Gen. Shlomi Binder and Mossad Director David Barnea. The court reverses its earlier decision, writing in part: “Following the explanations given … we partially accept the request and cancel at this stage Mr Netanyahu’s hearings scheduled.”
Mon, June 30: In an article for Israel’s Haaretz, political analyst Yoshi Verter writes:
It must be admitted – by some with regret and others with joy – that Benjamin Netanyahu’s trial is dissolving before our very eyes. It is no longer clear whether there’s even a point to it. The proceeding has become a total joke, and it wasn’t all too serious to begin with. . . . Since the trial began, there hasn’t been a trick or maneuver that hasn’t been pulled to delay, postpone and stall the proceedings, out of fear of the cross-examination. It’s no wonder that when the pressure mounts and the abyss seems close, an unconventional weapon has been thrown into the arena in the form of the president of the United States, . . . In his latest post, Trump claimed that Netanyahu’s presence in the trial “OVER NOTHING” is delaying the hostages’ return. This is a claim that not even our very own Dreyfus dared make before: presumably, even his cynicism has its limits.
For a more detailed look at the corruption charges against Netanyahu, see the 2024 documentary The Bibi Files, which features leaked police interrogation videos of Israel’s genocidal prime minister:
This story was originally published at decensored.news. For more reporting like this, please follow Decensored News on multiple platforms, bookmark the website, and subscribe here on Substack:
Ridiculous!
wow