Judges in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s criminal trial ruled on Wednesday that the premier no longer needs to enter the courtroom before them — meaning that he will not face questions from reporters, or be photographed — after the security department said it was “difficult to maintain order.”

In Israel, it is generally permitted to photograph defendants in the courtroom ahead of a hearing.

The Haaretz news outlet noted that a number of journalists tried to ask Netanyahu questions in the short time before the judges entered the Tel Aviv District Court on Tuesday, even though judges had said it was not allowed.

Netanyahu reportedly left the courtroom and then reentered with the judges, thereby preventing further questioning. The premier described the situation as “absurd.”

Wednesday’s hearing began with Netanyahu’s lead defense attorney Amit Hadad arguing that the number of weekly hearings in the trial needed to be reduced, after the premier’s legal team said earlier this week that they would need to step down from representing him if they were required to be in court four days a week.

“We will not be able to provide Netanyahu the legal service that we think he deserves. I don’t want to resign, I really like the prime minister on a personal level; he is family to me. But I will not fail in my duty........

© The Times of Israel