Netanyahu attended a hearing on his corruption case after applying for a presidential pardon

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu attended a hearing on a corruption case at a district court and proposed to cancel a subsequent hearing on the grounds of political and security agendas.

Reuters reported that Netanyahu appeared at a court in Tel Aviv on Monday (December 1) to hear the corruption charges against him. When the court session began, a small group of demonstrators gathered outside the court. Some of them, dressed in orange prison uniforms, demanded that Netanyahu be imprisoned to serve his sentence.

Some demonstrators have stated that Netanyahu's application for a pardon without pleading guilty or taking any responsibility is unacceptable.

Netanyahu's lawyer, Haddad, submitted a formal pardon application to President Herzog on Sunday (November 30), claiming that frequent court appearances have hindered Netanyahu's governance ability. If a pardon is granted, it will help Netanyahu focus on state affairs and mend social rift.

Xinhua News Agency reported that at Monday's hearing, Haddad also requested the cancellation of the hearing originally scheduled for Tuesday (December 2nd) on the grounds of political and security agendas.

The judicial department agreed to this request, but on the condition that the duration of the hearing originally scheduled for the 3rd be extended.

According to previous media reports, the Jerusalem District Court has ordered Netanyahu to attend corruption case hearings three times a week starting from November 2025, stating that "the litigation process needs to be expedited."

On December 10, 2024, Netanyahu appeared in court for the first time on suspicion of corruption.

Netanyahu is facing three charges: bribery, fraud and breach of trust, but has always denied any wrongdoing and has not pleaded guilty in the pardon application. His legal team stated that Netanyahu firmly believes that if the judicial process is completed, he will eventually receive a complete acquittal.

The corruption case involving Netanyahu began trial in 2020, making him the first sitting prime minister of Israel to undergo judicial proceedings. However, during these five years, he has repeatedly used reasons such as war, external release, and health to delay his time.

If convicted, Netanyahu could face a maximum of 10 years in prison for accepting bribes and a combined maximum of three years for fraud and breach of public trust.