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Netanyahu’s lawyer requests criminal trial to be postponed
Israeli media outlet Haaretz is reporting that Netanyahu has requested that the Israeli courts postpone his testimony in his criminal trial for the next fortnight.
The report said that his lawyer, Amit Hadad, sent a request saying that Netanyahu must devote “all his time and energy to handling top-priority diplomatic, national and security issues, including the management of the war in Gaza and dealing with the hostage crisis”.
He also cited the war with Iran and “other regional and global developments”.
Netanyahu’s trial began in 2020, following his indictment in 2019 on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust. He has denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty.
The trial has been delayed several times. His testimony was originally scheduled to begin in July 2024, but it was reportedly postponed due to the war in Gaza and did not commence until December.
Israeli media have reported that the cross-examination of Netanyahu began on June 3 in a Tel Aviv court and was expected to take about a year to complete.
Netanyahu turns attention from Gaza with talk of expanding Abraham Accords
Netanyahu is talking a much bigger game, and that’s because only talking about a ceasefire in Gaza following his grand proclamations of victory over Iran would be domestically costly for him.
Instead, what we hear now is Netanyahu working with his close confidants, with the US administration, about something bigger, more normalisation deals with some countries in the region. Deals that can help him sidestep the Palestinian issue.
But of course, immediately after the declaration of the ceasefire with Iran, we heard from the families of the captives held in Gaza. We heard from opposition leaders. All eyes were back on Gaza.
This is a war that has lasted for more than 625 days with no end in sight.
