Israel’s opposition leader has publicly criticised former US President Donald Trump for calling to halt Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s corruption trial, cautioning against meddling in Israel’s judicial affairs.
On Wednesday, Trump labelled the trial a “witch hunt,” mirroring Netanyahu’s outright rejection of the corruption charges. Through his Truth Social account, Trump demanded the trial be “CANCELLED, IMMEDIATELY,” or that Netanyahu receive a pardon following a recent 12-day conflict with Iran.
Responding on Thursday, Yair Lapid, head of the centre-right Yesh Atid party, expressed gratitude to Trump but emphasized: “The president should not interfere in the judicial process of an independent nation.”
Lapid’s stance was supported by Simcha Rothman, chair of Israel’s parliamentary judicial affairs committee and member of Netanyahu’s far-right coalition ally, Religious Zionism. Rothman stated: “It is not the role of the US president to intervene in Israel’s legal proceedings.”
Despite this, Rothman criticised how Netanyahu’s handling of the legal cases risks diminishing Israel’s reputation internationally, saying it “turns Israel from a regional and global power into a banana republic.”
Other coalition members also weighed in. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir called the trial politically motivated, while Foreign Minister Gideon Saar deemed the ongoing proceedings “distorted, unreasonable, and unjust,” backing Trump’s plea to drop the charges amid wartime.
Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, has faced multiple allegations since May 2020. The first case accuses him and his wife Sara of accepting luxury gifts exceeding $260,000 from wealthy benefactors in return for political favors. Additional charges claim attempts to influence favorable media coverage.
The trial has faced several delays, most recently citing the ongoing Gaza conflict, with subsequent escalations in Lebanon and Iran.
Despite repeated postponements, Netanyahu maintains his innocence and continues to propose judicial reforms critics argue undermine court independence.
