Tel Aviv (The COW News Digital)An Israeli court has postponed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s corruption trial for two weeks, citing his involvement in pressing diplomatic and national security matters. The decision was handed down by the Jerusalem District Court, which also granted Netanyahu temporary exemption from appearing in person.
The ruling comes amid increased international attention after former U.S. President Donald Trump labeled the cases against Netanyahu as “politically motivated” and urged Israel to dismiss the charges altogether. Trump further suggested that future U.S. aid to Israel might depend on how the legal proceedings unfold, linking judicial outcomes to international diplomacy.
Netanyahu faces three separate cases involving allegations of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust. The charges relate to claims that he accepted lavish gifts from wealthy businessmen and sought to manipulate media coverage in exchange for political favors. The ongoing legal battles have cast a long shadow over his leadership and raised concerns about the integrity of Israel’s democratic institutions.
Notably, this delay comes just two days after the same court had rejected a previous request from Netanyahu’s legal team to postpone the hearings. However, the new reasoning—focused on high-level state responsibilities—was accepted, raising questions about whether external political pressure influenced the court’s decision.
Critics argue the delay undermines judicial independence and fuels perceptions that Netanyahu is leveraging his position to evade accountability. Supporters, however, claim the charges are part of a larger campaign to weaken him politically and distract from his government’s work on national security and foreign policy.
This is not the first time Netanyahu’s legal troubles have intersected with geopolitics. His ongoing trial has long been a point of contention in Israeli politics, with frequent accusations that the justice system is being used as a tool for political vendettas.
With Israel currently facing domestic unrest and international scrutiny over its military actions in Gaza, Netanyahu’s legal battles add another layer of complexity to an already volatile political climate.
As the trial is expected to resume mid-July, all eyes will remain on how Israel balances legal integrity with political leadership under growing global pressure.
