{"id":48006,"date":"2026-04-28T18:17:04","date_gmt":"2026-04-28T18:17:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/people\/48006\/"},"modified":"2026-04-28T18:17:04","modified_gmt":"2026-04-28T18:17:04","slug":"netanyahu-testimony-set-to-resume-after-monthslong-break-canceled-at-last-minute","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/people\/48006\/","title":{"rendered":"Netanyahu testimony, set to resume after monthslong break, canceled at last minute"},"content":{"rendered":"

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu\u2019s testimony in his ongoing corruption trial was set to resume on Monday, after a more than two-month pause due to the Iran war, but was canceled at the last minute.<\/p>\n

Hebrew media reports cited security concerns submitted by Netanyahu\u2019s lawyer Amit Hadad. No further details were immediately available.<\/p>\n

The testimony \u2013 again held at the Tel Aviv District Court building, rather than its equivalent in Jerusalem, out of security considerations \u2013 was expected to pick up from where the premier left off on February 24, his most recent cross-examination date.<\/p>\n

Netanyahu has testified 80 times so far, and is almost done being cross-examined on Case 4000, involving allegations that he authorized regulatory decisions that financially benefited telecommunications mogul Shaul Elovitch by hundreds of millions of shekels.<\/p>\n

According to prosecutors\u2019 assessments, cited by the Haaretz daily, Netanyahu has between four and eight more sessions left regarding Case 2000, involving a suspected quid pro quo between himself and Arnon Mozes, publisher of the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper.<\/p>\n

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The resumption of hearings would have come in the shadow of a statement by President Isaac Herzog on Sunday rebuffing, at least for the time being<\/a>, the prospect of granting Netanyahu a pardon, despite an official request from the prime minister and heavy pressure from US President Donald Trump.<\/p>\n

\t\"\"<\/a>
\n\t\tPresident Isaac Herzog speaks during a Memorial Day ceremony at the Western Wall, April 20, 2026. (Chaim Goldberg\/Flash90)<\/p>\n

Herzog, in a statement, confirmed a report in The New York Times that said he would seek mediation because he believes his job is to foster unity in Israel.<\/p>\n

The premier\u2019s trial on charges of bribery and fraud and breach of trust, which began in 2020, has divided the country along political fault lines.<\/p>\n

Netanyahu is the first sitting prime minister to go on trial. He has consistently denied any wrongdoing and has claimed that the cases against him \u2014 which concern allegations that he traded political favors for gifts and favorable press coverage \u2014 are a witch hunt and a political coup attempt fabricated by his opponents.<\/p>\n

Earlier this month, Channel 13 reported that Netanyahu had ordered Shin Bet chief David Zini to issue a position paper<\/a> asserting the premier could not testify amid the ceasefire, out of concerns for his safety, arguing he cannot appear for a long time in a location published in advance.<\/p>\n

Channel 12 separately reported that the position paper, which the State Attorney\u2019s Office demanded to see<\/a> in light of the reporting, had been issued without the approval of the Shin Bet\u2019s legal advisor.<\/p>\n

Jeremy Sharon contributed to this report.<\/p>\n


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