Netanyahu Trial Judges Consider Increasing Hearings to Five Days a Week Amid Defense Objections

Judges presiding over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's trial are currently debating whether to increase the hearing schedule to five days a week. The discussion is taking place at the Jerusalem District Court, which resumed sessions there following Netanyahu's testimony in Tel Aviv due to security reasons. Netanyahu himself attended the hearing and opposed accelerating the trial, arguing that it would impair his defense.

Netanyahu's defense attorney, Amit Hadad, also voiced strong objections, stating that handling a five-day weekly schedule would be unmanageable. He emphasized that besides Netanyahu's case, he has other legal responsibilities and family commitments. Hadad warned that such a pace would force them to work on weekends and holidays, violating basic labor norms and paradoxically prolonging the trial because they would be unable to properly prepare witnesses.

Last week, Netanyahu concluded his testimony after one and a half years and 98 sessions, marking the longest defendant testimony in an Israeli criminal trial. The trial hearings were held in Tel Aviv for security reasons but have now returned to Jerusalem. The judges involved include Rivka Friedman-Feldman, Moshe Bar-Am, and Oded Shaham, who are keen on expediting the proceedings despite the defense's concerns.