Netanyahu’s Lawyer Warns Judges Against Accelerating Trial to Five Days a Week

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voluntarily appeared at the Jerusalem District Court on Monday to appeal to the judges to reconsider their recent decision to accelerate his trial schedule to five days of hearings per week. This decision was made last week following Netanyahu’s testimony and has been met with strong opposition from the defense teams, who argue it undermines their ability to provide an adequate defense.

Netanyahu’s attorney, Amit Hadad, described the case as "massive" and warned that the accelerated schedule would force defense lawyers to work even on Saturdays, calling it a miscarriage of justice. Hadad stated that the trial could not realistically conclude by March 2028, the scheduled retirement date of the presiding judge, Rebecca Friedman-Feldman, but would instead extend to September 2028. He emphasized that no trial except the Eichmann trial had ever been conducted five days a week and expressed his frustration, saying, "If the court wants to shorten the process, the way is not to kill us. We cannot do this. I raised a red flag. We are at the edge."

Hadad also warned that hundreds of defense witnesses are expected to testify, making the accelerated schedule unfeasible. He threatened to resign from representing Netanyahu if the five-day schedule is enforced. Another defense lawyer, Jacques Chen, representing Shaul and Iris Elovitch, also strongly opposed the decision, calling it "inhumane" and stating that neither he nor his team could sustain such a pace. Chen highlighted the personal toll on his clients, noting the "destruction of life" for Shaul Elovitch and the prolonged suffering of Iris Elovitch over nine years.

Chen criticized the court’s decision as unfair and influenced by political agendas, stressing that the accelerated schedule compromises the defendants’ right to a fair trial. Both defense attorneys underscored that the unprecedented scale and complexity of the case require a more reasonable timetable to ensure justice is served.

The court’s decision to accelerate the trial pace remains in place, but the defense’s objections signal ongoing tensions over the management of one of Israel’s most high-profile legal proceedings.