The Jerusalem District Court consented to delay Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s corruption trial — mere hours after President Trump called for the dismissal of the case, indicating that American assistance might be influenced by the outcome.
On Sunday, the court announced that due to reasons involving diplomacy and national security, Netanyahu would not be required to testify in the next two weeks. This decision comes two days after a judge initially denied the Prime Minister’s repeated pleas to postpone the trial.
The postponement followed Trump’s comments on Truth Social, where he criticized the corruption trial — involving charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust against Netanyahu in three separate cases — as a “political witch hunt.”
“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.
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.
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.
“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.
