Netanyahu requests delay in his corruption trial testimony

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asked to postpone giving testimony in his long-running corruption trial, which was set to resume next week, citing the ongoing security situation in the region, Netanyahu's lawyer said in a court filing on Friday. Netanyahu's trial was set to resume on Sunday, after Israel lifted a state of ​emergency imposed over its war with Iran following Wednesday's ceasefire ​announcement. The defence said it was prepared to continue ⁠hearing the testimony of a prosecution witness. "Due to classified security ​and diplomatic reasons connected ... to the dramatic events that have taken ​place in the State of Israel and throughout the Middle East in recent times, the Prime Minister will not be able to testify in the proceeding ​for at least the next two weeks," the filing to ​the Jerusalem District Court said. Read: Halt to Iran attacks means Netanyahu's corruption trial will resume on Sunday It said that a sealed envelope detailing the classified ‌reasons ⁠was delivered to the court, which will rule once the prosecution submits its response. Netanyahu, the first sitting Israeli prime minister to be charged with a crime, denies charges of bribery, fraud ​and breach of ​trust brought in ⁠2019 after years of investigations. His trial, which began in 2020 and could lead to jail terms, ​has been repeatedly delayed due to his official ​commitments, with ⁠no end date in sight. The charges against Netanyahu, along with the Hamas attacks on Israel in October 2023, have damaged his standing. ⁠Israel ​is due to hold an election ​in October that Netanyahu's coalition, the most right-wing in Israel's history, is likely to ​lose, according to polls.