Israeli PM seeks additional delay of testimony in court for criminal trial

JERUSALEM - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's legal team has requested a 15-day postponement for the start of his testimony in his ongoing criminal trial, Israeli media reported on Sunday.

The team argued that despite its best efforts, it will not be ready by the scheduled date of Dec 2, the report said.

The request followed an earlier one by the team for a 10-week delay, which the court rejected on Nov 13, citing that Netanyahu had already been given five months to prepare for the trial since the date was set in July.

The team said since the court's rejection, it had been working intensively with Netanyahu for preparation, including holding daily late-night meetings, but will still not be adequately prepared to begin testimony as scheduled, according to the media report.

The International Criminal Court's recent issuance of an arrest warrant for Netanyahu on charges of "crimes against humanity and war crimes" between at least Oct 8, 2023 and May 20, 2024, has further complicated its ability to prepare, the team said.

The trial, which began in early 2020, involves three separate cases in which Netanyahu is accused of accepting bribes, fraud and breach of trust. Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving prime minister, has denied any wrongdoing, calling the trial a politically-motivated "witch hunt".

After more than a two-month pause due to the Israel-Hamas conflict, Netanyahu's trial resumed in early December 2023.

If convicted, Netanyahu is expected to face severe penalties, including imprisonment, which would make him the first incumbent Israeli prime minister sentenced for criminal offenses.