Netanyahu Trial Accelerates with Defense Witnesses and Extended Court Days

The trial of Benjamin Netanyahu is set to significantly increase its pace after the upcoming Jewish holidays, with judges aiming to hold proceedings five days a week. This accelerated schedule, starting in October, is intended to expedite the legal process, especially as the presiding judge is slated to retire in 2028. This marks a substantial increase from the current pace and will require intensive work from all parties involved.

Two defense witnesses, Eran Kamin and Alon Tzarfati, are scheduled to testify this week. The defense had requested, with the prosecution's agreement, to cancel three hearing days in October due to an annual office trip. However, the judges are pushing for the accelerated schedule, a move that Netanyahu himself has been accused of influencing in the past. During the previous year of proceedings, Netanyahu testified for nearly 100 days, and the defense is now presenting its witnesses in an effort to refute the prosecution's claims.

Critics suggest that through numerous postponements and requests to cancel or shorten hearings, which the judges often granted, Netanyahu has previously controlled the trial's pace, leading to a particularly slow previous year. The new five-day-a-week schedule is unprecedented in other Israeli courts and its success will depend on the commitment of the judges, defense attorneys, and prosecutors to work around the clock.