Tel Aviv: The Jerusalem District Court has postponed the testimony of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in his ongoing corruption trial for the current week.
The decision came after his legal team requested a delay, citing “security and diplomatic” reasons. They confirmed that the court accepted the request and cancelled a hearing scheduled for Tuesday.
A panel of judges agreed to hear another defence witness instead of Netanyahu. However, the State Attorney’s Office opposed the delay, arguing that unless there are urgent security concerns, the Prime Minister should follow the court schedule. Prosecutors stressed the need to move the trial forward, as it is in the public interest.
The court will now hear testimony from Ilanit Filber, wife of former aide and key state witness Shlomo Filber. He is a central figure in “Case 4000,” also known as the Bezeq-Walla affair, where Netanyahu faces bribery charges.
Prosecutors allege that Netanyahu helped businessman Shaul Elovitch’s Bezeq telecom company in return for favourable media coverage on the Walla website. Netanyahu has denied all allegations.
The trial is currently in the cross-examination stage. Netanyahu began testifying in December 2024, and questioning by prosecutors started in June 2025. Earlier hearings focused mainly on Case 4000.
The court schedule was also affected by upcoming national events, including Yom HaZikaron and Yom HaAtzmaut, leading to a shorter working week.
