Netanyahu's Defense Demands Attorney General Address Bribery Charge Doubts Before Trial Acceleration

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's defense team submitted a statement to the court ahead of the scheduled September hearing, emphasizing that any increase in the trial pace to five days per week starting October 2026 depends on a formal response from the Attorney General. The defense highlighted a June 29, 2023 court decision where judges expressed concerns about the strength of the bribery charge in Case 4000, suggesting the prosecution consider dropping this specific charge. The lawyers reiterated that their position remains unchanged since the June 29, 2026 hearing, insisting that any plan to accelerate the trial must be contingent on the Attorney General's clear reply to the judges' doubts about the bribery allegation, especially after Netanyahu's testimony and cross-examination conclude. To facilitate the upcoming September hearing, the defense formally requested the Attorney General to respond to the court's clarifications, attaching their letter to the submission.