Jerusalem Court Orders Netanyahu Graft Trial to Five Days a Week; Defense 'Shocked'

The Jerusalem District Court panel hearing Prime Minister Netanyahu's corruption trial announced on Sunday that it will expand hearings to five days a week, Sunday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., beginning October 4 after the High Holy Days. Lead defense attorney Amit Hadad told the panel his team was 'completely shocked' by the decision, calling it a 'critical injury' to the defense and stating, 'We will not be able to do that.' The acceleration follows Netanyahu's June 24 completion of testimony after 98 hearings across 18 months, and is driven in part by presiding Judge Rivka Friedman-Feldman's expected March 2028 retirement at age 70. Proceedings have formally returned from Tel Aviv District Court to Jerusalem, where defense witnesses will testify. The defense said it would mount a full challenge when Netanyahu attends on Monday.