Justice Minister Yariv Levin announced on Wednesday morning that he would support a contentious bill that would enable the defense minister to reduce or limit the number of hearings for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ongoing criminal trial.

Levin maintained that the bill would enable Netanyahu to focus his time on matters of state instead, and said the premier should never have been put on trial in the first place.

But opposition leaders denounced the move as an effort by the coalition to end Netanyahu’s trial and revive the government’s judicial overhaul agenda to weaken legal restraints on executive power.

Levin made his comments after Netanyahu’s trial on corruption charges resumed in the morning in the Tel Aviv District Court, where several Likud ministers and MKs arrived in a coordinated show of support for the prime minister.

Netanyahu’s testimony had been scheduled to last until 4:30 p.m., but he complained of suffering from a cough and cold, and the judges agreed to end the hearing several hours early.

The bill Levin said he would back was drafted by hardline Likud MK Ariel Kallner, although it has yet to be submitted to the Knesset.

The legislation would enable the defense minister to reduce or limit the number of hearings in a criminal trial during a time of war or emergency, should such a step be deemed necessary for security purposes and........

© The Times of Israel