An Israeli court has rejected Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s request to postpone his testimony in his ongoing corruption trial, despite a public statement by U.S. President Donald Trump calling for the case to be canceled.
On Thursday, Netanyahu’s lawyer asked the court to delay summoning the prime minister for two weeks, arguing that he needed to focus on “security matters” following the 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran. However, the Jerusalem District Court stated in its online decision that the “current form [of Netanyahu’s request] does not provide a detailed basis or justification for canceling the hearings.“
President Trump weighed in on Thursday, calling the trial against Netanyahu a “witch hunt” and adding that the trial “should be canceled immediately or this great hero pardoned.” Netanyahu thanked Trump for his support during Israel’s brief war against Iran, which concluded with a ceasefire reached on June 24.
The Israeli prime minister has consistently denied any wrongdoing, and his supporters have characterized the trial as politically motivated. In the first criminal case, he and his wife, Sara, are accused of accepting over €260,000 in luxury gifts—such as cigars, jewelry, and champagne—from billionaires in exchange for political favors. In two other cases, Netanyahu is accused of attempting to negotiate more favorable coverage from two Israeli media outlets.
During his current term, which began in late 2022, Netanyahu’s government proposed a series of judicial reforms that critics argued were designed to weaken the role of the courts. Netanyahu has sought several postponements since his trial began in May 2020, citing the 2023 war in Gaza, subsequent fighting in Lebanon, and this month’s conflict with Iran as justifications.
