Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Military Cemetery on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem, April 21, 2026. (Source: Ilya Yefimovich/Reuters)
The Monday morning hearing in the corruption trial against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been canceled "for last-minute political and security reasons that prevent the Prime Minister from appearing," reports the daily Haaretz.
Since the cease-fire between Iran and the United States, none of Benjamin Netanyahu’s hearings have taken place as scheduled; all have been shortened or postponed.
The Israeli Prime Minister’s criminal trial, which began in 2020, is now in the defense phase, with Netanyahu testifying as the accused. Having been indicted in 2019 and pleaded not guilty, he began testifying in December 2024, becoming the first sitting Israeli prime minister to appear as a defendant in a criminal case. Prosecutors began their cross-examination in June 2025, after several months of direct examination by the defense.
The indictment includes three cases: Case 1000, in which Netanyahu is accused of receiving expensive gifts, including cigars and champagne, from wealthy businessmen; Case 2000, centered on alleged discussions between Netanyahu and Yedioth Aharonoth newspaper publisher Arnon Mozes about favorable media coverage in exchange for weakening rival newspaper Israel Hayom; and Case 4000 Bezeq-Walla. He is charged with fraud and breach of trust in Cases 1000 and 2000, and with bribery, fraud, and breach of trust in Case 4000.
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