Benjamin Netanyahu
Photo: Hadas Parush/Flash90
Netanyahu reluctant but will attend October hearing
The prime minister's attorney Amit Hadad said that he believes there is significant justification to delay the hearing date as he is overwhelmed by the sheer amount of investigation material he must peruse as well as recent political developments
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu notified Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit on Monday evening that he will attend the hearing related to corruption investigations set for October second, according to the prime minister's attorney Amit Hadad.
Hadad said that he asked the attorney general for an extension last week, but he refused. "We believe that there are considerable factors justifying delaying the hearing. We received the investigation material and have begun to read it. But dozens of forms are missing and if we don’t have a copy of them, we have no way to read them.
PM Benjamin Netanyahu
PM attorney Amit Hadad
Last week, following the dispersal of the Knesset and the scheduling of elections for September, Netanyahu's attorneys asked for another delay in the hearing date. But Mandelblit replied that the situation does not justify a further delay and the hearing will take place six months after the investigation material was delivered to the prime minister.
The hearing is intended to allow for an attorney to prepare to present his case with regards to the investigation material; it is not a minor trial.
