Israel’s Netanyahu ordered to take stand in his corruption trial after repeated delays

JERUSALEM (AP) — An Israeli court has ordered Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to take the stand next week in his long-running corruption trial, ending a series of delays. Netanyahu’s lawyers had filed multiple requests to put off the testimony, arguing first that the war prevented him from properly preparing for his testimony, and later that his security could not be guaranteed. In Tuesday’s decision, the judges said that following a security assessment, his testimony will be moved from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv. His testimony in the trial, which began in 2020, is expected to begin on Dec. 10 and to last several weeks. Netanyahu is charged with fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in three cases. He denies wrongdoing.