Netanyahu trial to shift back to Jerusalem and move to five hearings a week

Jerusalem District Court judges Rivka Friedman-Feldman, Moshe Bar-Am and Oded Shaham decided on Wednesday to accelerate the trial of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the other defendants in the so-called “cases 1000, 2000 and 4000.” They set an unusually intensive schedule for the Israeli legal system, requiring hearings five days a week starting October 4, 2026, after the Tishrei holidays and the opening of the next court year.

From that date, the trial will run Sunday through Thursday, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The judges told the defense teams to prepare fully for the new pace so that the proceedings are not delayed. They said the defense must bring witnesses on every hearing day and line up backup witnesses in advance in case a scheduled witness cannot appear, so that no hearing day will be canceled. The judges also renewed their suggestion that the parties consider holding hearings during the upcoming court recess.

The decision also means the trial is moving back to Jerusalem once Netanyahu finishes giving his testimony, which was heard in an unusual arrangement at the Tel Aviv District Court. Beginning Sunday, June 28, 2026, the hearings will take place again at the Jerusalem District Court on Salah al-Din Street in the capital.

On Monday, June 29, the court will open with a special hearing under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Law. That session will focus narrowly on the list of defense witnesses Netanyahu intends to call and how they relate to the different counts in the indictment, in order to streamline and map out the next stage of the defense.