ISTANBUL

US President Donald Trump defended Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday as he called his corruption trial a “political witch hunt.”

“It is terrible what they are doing in Israel to Bibi Netanyahu. He is a War Hero, and a Prime Minister who did a fabulous job working with the United States to bring Great Success in getting rid of the dangerous Nuclear threat in Iran,” Trump said on Truth Social, adding that Netanyahu is also in the process of negotiating with Hamas to get back Israeli hostages.

“How is it possible that the Prime Minister of Israel can be forced to sit in a Courtroom all day long, over NOTHING (Cigars, Bugs Bunny Doll, etc.). It is a POLITICAL WITCH HUNT, very similar to the Witch Hunt that I was forced to endure,” Trump said.

He called the process a travesty of justice that “will interfere with both Iran and Hamas negotiations.”

He also called what the prosecutors investigating Netanyahu are doing is “INSANITY.”

“The United States of America spends Billions of Dollar (sic) a year, far more than on any other Nation, protecting and supporting Israel. We are not going to stand for this. We just had a Great Victory with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu at the helm — And this greatly tarnishes our Victory. LET BIBI GO, HE’S GOT A BIG JOB TO DO!” he stated.

Trump previously called for Netanyahu’s corruption hearing on Monday to be dismissed in lieu of the service he has done for Israel.

“I was shocked to hear that the State of Israel, which has just had one of its Greatest Moments in History, and is strongly led by Bibi Netanyahu, is continuing its ridiculous Witch Hunt against their Great War Time Prime Minister!” Trump wrote Wednesday on Truth Social.

Netanyahu faces three separate cases of corruption filed in 2019 -- cases 1,000, 2,000 and 4,000 -- which include accusations of bribery, fraud and breach of trust. He denies any wrongdoing, calling the accusations “fake.”

The prime minister, whose trial began May 24, 2020, is the first sitting Israeli leader in history to take the stand as a criminal defendant.

Under Israeli law, he is not required to resign unless convicted by the Supreme Court, a process that could take several months.

Netanyahu also faces charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity, with the International Criminal Court issuing arrest warrants for him and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in November for atrocities in the Gaza Strip, where more than 56,000 victims, mostly women and children, have been killed since Oct. 7, 2023.

Israel’s attorney general on Friday rejected Netanyahu’s request to postpone his corruption trial for two weeks.

Netanyahu had asked the Jerusalem District Court to delay the trial, claiming that he needed to focus on other matters following Israeli attacks on Iran, including returning Israeli captives from Gaza.