Netanyahu Trial: Defense Cites Submarine Probe Hearings as Reason for Potential Delays

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's defense team has informed the court that upcoming trial dates may need to be postponed due to scheduling conflicts with the submarine affair investigation. Attorney Amit Haddad, who represents Netanyahu in both the ongoing corruption trial and the "Gronis Commission" inquiry into the submarine affair, informed the court on Monday of over 20 dates between November 1 and December 31 where his presence is required at the commission's hearings. Seven of these dates fall in November and thirteen in December. The issue arose when the defense for Noni Mozes, who is also represented by Haddad's colleague Sharon Klainman, requested that Case 2000 proceedings be paused on days when the commission hears testimony from "warned individuals." Haddad stated that his own required attendance at the commission's hearings, particularly when Netanyahu is scheduled to testify or when Haddad needs to cross-examine witnesses, creates a significant scheduling challenge. He noted that bringing witnesses to testify in the main trial is already a complex task, further complicated by restrictions on witness identity and testimony topics. Haddad did not explicitly request a cancellation of trial dates but presented the situation to the judges for their decision. This development comes two weeks after the judges criticized the defense's slow pace in presenting witnesses, who reportedly number around 200 for the defense's case.