Netanyahu trial hearing postponed over “security reasons,” says Israeli court

A scheduled hearing in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s criminal trial on Monday was postponed over “security-diplomatic reasons,” delaying his return to the witness stand, according to a late Sunday report by The Jerusalem Post.

Judges at the Jerusalem District Court decided Sunday to hear another defense witness instead, delaying Netanyahu’s return to the witness stand, which is now unlikely before next week, according to the newspaper.

The decision followed a defense request to cancel Netanyahu’s testimony, citing unspecified “security-diplomatic reasons” outlined in sealed materials submitted to both the court and the prosecution, the report said.

Prosecutors opposed the move, arguing that unless there are urgent and unavoidable security needs, Netanyahu should align his schedule with the court’s calendar and emphasized the public interest in advancing the trial, particularly completing his cross-examination, according to The Jerusalem Post.

The case remains in the cross-examination phase of Netanyahu’s testimony. Netanyahu first took the stand in December 2024, and prosecutors began cross-examining him in June 2025 after 36 defense-led sessions, the report said.

The trial has largely focused on Case 4000, which centers on allegations of regulatory favors in exchange for favorable media coverage, which Netanyahu has denied, the newspaper added.

Netanyahu faces bribery, fraud, and breach of trust charges in three cases known as Cases 1000, 2000 and 4000. Prosecutors filed indictments in the cases in November 2019.

Case 4000 involves allegations that Netanyahu advanced regulatory decisions benefiting Shaul Elovitch, the former owner of the Walla news website and a former executive at the Bezeq telecommunications company, in exchange for positive coverage.

In addition to the corruption trial, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant in November 2024 against Netanyahu on accusations of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip.