The Jerusalem District Court approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s request on Sunday to shorten Monday’s hearing in his corruption trial, after he informed the judges he must attend a diplomatic meeting. The session will be reduced by three and a half hours.
His attorney, Amit Hadad, explained that the prime minister will also be unable to return for an afternoon session, as he is required in the Knesset plenum. Lawmakers are expected to vote during that time on appointing Justice Minister Yariv Levin to additional ministerial portfolios, including labor, religious affairs, and Jerusalem affairs. The government is expected to give initial approval to the appointment later on Sunday.
The latest change follows several recent adjustments to the trial schedule. Last week, Judges Rivka Friedman-Feldman, Moshe Bar-Am, and Oded Shaham canceled an entire hearing day due to what the court described as a “security matter.” Two weeks ago, the court granted Netanyahu’s request to cancel another hearing because of “urgent diplomatic meetings.”
Netanyahu's corruption trials
Netanyahu’s trial, which covers Cases 1000, 2000, and 4000, continues to move forward through scheduled testimony. Hearings have been frequently shortened or postponed in recent months, at times due to requests submitted by the prime minister’s legal team and at other times because of scheduling constraints within the court.
The next hearing is set to take place on Tuesday and Wednesday, pending any further changes.