Israeli court orders Netanyahu to attend 'Corruption Charges'

Photo Source: Yonhap News

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who continues the war despite criticism from the international community, will face court next month.

According to CNN on the 13th local time, Israeli courts did not accept Netanyahu's request to postpone the testimony of the corruption trial scheduled for the 2nd of next month.

In its decision, the court said it was not sure there was a significant change in the situation that would justify a change in the date of testimony and ordered Netanyahu to appear as scheduled for trial.

Pointing to the fact that Netanyahu has already postponed his testimony once, he explained that the previous decision to date his testimony early next month also considered the war in Gaza and Lebanon.

On the 10th, Netanyahu asked the court to postpone his testimony by 10 weeks, citing that he was too busy with the war.

However, the prosecution and the attorney general opposed the postponement of the testimony, saying that it is in the public interest for the trial to end as soon as possible, citing the principle of equality before the law.

Netanyahu was indicted in November 2019 on charges of receiving $195,000 (about 270 million won) worth of gifts, including champagne, cigars and jewelry, from overseas businessmen seeking preferential tax legislation.

He is also accused of asking for favorable coverage in exchange for reducing the number of copies issued by rival newspapers through behind-the-scenes transactions with a daily publisher and of favorable articles in exchange for providing regulatory benefits worth $250 million (W351.3 billion) to telecom company Bezek.

Netanyahu has flatly denied the allegations and says they are politically motivated prosecutions.

The court's decision to dismiss comes amid prosecutorial investigations into Netanyahu's aides over possible leaks of intelligence data and manipulation of phone call records.

Netanyahu strongly opposes the prosecution investigation as an organized hunt to undermine and worsen the country's leadership during the war.

CNN said Netanyahu's legal troubles have long divided Israel, and predicted that his court appearance would likely further polarize Israel.