Netanyahu’s Testimony to End Earlier Than Expected After Last-Minute Change

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s testimony in his corruption trial, the so-called “cases,” will now end today at 2:45 p.m., earlier than planned, after last-minute security and diplomatic developments forced a change in the schedule.

The shift came after the Jerusalem District Court yesterday, Sunday, rejected Netanyahu’s request to shorten the hearing by three hours. Deputy President Judge Rivka Friedman-Feldman said there was no factual basis showing urgency that would justify cutting the session short.

In his original request, Netanyahu said an especially important cabinet meeting was scheduled, one that was expected to make critical decisions for government ministries. He argued that it could not be postponed to later days because of Knesset plenum constraints and the urgency of the issues on the agenda.

Despite that rejection, the court’s schedule changed at the last minute, and Netanyahu’s testimony will end early today because of what the report described as urgent security and diplomatic reasons. The article does not say what specific developments prompted the change.