Israeli court postpones Netanyahu's corruption trial after Trump calls for case to be dropped
The Jerusalem District Court agreed to postpone Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's corruption trial — just hours after President Trump called for the case to be dropped while suggesting American aid could hang in the balance over the decision.
The court revealed Sunday that Netanyahu will not have to testify for the next two weeks due to diplomatic and national security issues, two days after the judge initially rejected the premier's repeated requests to have the trial delayed.
The new order came after Trump took to Truth Social and slammed the corruption trial — which sees Netanyahu accused of bribery, fraud and breach of trust in three separate cases — as a 'political witch hunt.'
4 President Trump called on Israel to drop the corruption charges against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
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4 Trump claimed the trial would interfere with cease-fire efforts in Gaza and the truce with Iran, warning that America could stop flowing aid to Israel if the case proceeds.
AP
'It is terrible what they are doing in Israel to Bibi Netanyahu,' Trump wrote. 'He is a War Hero, and a Prime Minister who did a fabulous job working with the United States to bring Great Success in getting rid of the dangerous Nuclear threat in Iran.'
'The United States of America spends Billions of Dollar a year, far more than on any other Nation, protecting and supporting Israel. We are not going to stand for this,' he warned.
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Trump also claimed that having Netanyahu occupied with the case would interfere with cease-fire and hostage release efforts in Gaza, as well as the fragile truce with Iran.
'Thank you again, @realDonaldTrump. Together, we will make the Middle East Great Again!' Netanyahu replied.
4 Netanyahu's trial has gone on for four years and has been delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the wars with Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran.
AP
4 Netanyahu maintains that the war will not end in Gaza until Hamas is eliminated, a goal he has previously claimed supersedes the safe return of the hostages and humanitarian aid to Gaza.
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A White House official said Trump identified with Netanyahu and made the personal decision to back the embattled prime minister during the ride back from the NATO summit last week, Axios reported.
The latest delay to the trial, which has stretched on for four years, has led to many Israeli officials condemning the prime minister for allegedly using his executive powers to stall the case.
The leader of the opposition Democrats party, Yair Golan, said Trump's proposal shows how prolonging the war in Gaza personally benefits Netanyahu, who has refused to end the fighting until the terror group is completely eliminated — a goal with no set timeline.
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'Trump's proposal proves: The hostages are held by Hamas, but they are captive to Netanyahu's interests,' Golan wrote on X.
Netanyahu stands accused of accepting more than $200,000 from wealthy businessmen and granting hundreds of millions of dollars worth of regulatory benefits to a telecom owner in exchange for favorable news coverage.
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