Israel’s corruption trial stalls again as Netanyahu stays off witness stand

Benjamin Netanyahu is unlikely to resume testimony in his ongoing criminal trial before next week, following a decision by a Jerusalem court to postpone his appearance and hear another defense witness instead, AzerNEWS reports.

According to Reuters and other reports, Netanyahu’s last confirmed testimony took place on February 23, before a series of delays linked to war-related court disruptions and subsequent postponement requests.

The ruling was issued by Judges Rivka Friedman-Feldman, Moshe Bar-Am, and Oded Shaham, following a defense request to cancel the prime minister’s testimony due to what were described as “security-diplomatic reasons.” These arguments were presented in sealed materials submitted to the court and the prosecution.

The prosecution opposed the request, arguing that unless there were urgent and unavoidable security concerns, Netanyahu should adhere to the court schedule. It also stressed the public interest in advancing the trial and completing his cross-examination.

Instead, the court agreed to hear testimony on Monday from Ilanit Filber, the wife of former Netanyahu aide and state witness Shlomo Filber.

Shlomo Filber is a central figure in Case 4000, also known as the Bezeq-Walla affair, where Netanyahu faces a bribery charge. He previously served as director-general of Israel’s Communications Ministry under Netanyahu.

Although initially considered a key prosecution witness—supporting allegations that regulatory benefits were exchanged for favorable media coverage—his 2022 testimony contained significant inconsistencies, and prosecutors later moved to cancel his state-witness agreement.