An Israeli court on Friday rejected Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's request to postpone his testimony in his long-running corruption trial, which US President Donald Trump had previously requested be canceled.
The District Court judges ruled that Netanyahu's request "in its current form provides no basis or detailed justification for canceling the hearings."
The prime minister had requested, through his lawyers, that his testimony be postponed in the hearings scheduled for the next two weeks in light of "regional and global developments" following the war between the Jewish state and the Islamic Republic.
"The prime minister is forced to devote all his time and effort to managing national, diplomatic, and security issues of paramount importance," the statement from lawyer Amit Hadad added. "This includes, among other things, the conduct of the war in Gaza and the handling of the hostage situation."
Trump called on the Israeli judiciary on Wednesday to "immediately" cancel Netanyahu's trial, describing the case against the "warrior" as a "witch hunt."
The Prime Minister thanked the US President for his "strong support," saying via Twitter, "I am deeply moved by your strong and overwhelming support for Israel and the Jewish people."
One of the cases against Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, accuses them of receiving more than $260,000 in luxury gifts, including cigars, jewelry, and champagne, from wealthy businessmen in exchange for political favors.
In two other cases, Netanyahu is accused of attempting to negotiate favorable coverage in Israeli media outlets.
Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving prime minister, has denied any wrongdoing. Since his trial began in May 2020, the hearings have been postponed several times at the Prime Minister's request. His supporters consider the trial to be politically motivated.
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