Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s corruption trial faces possible delay as his lawyers filed for 10-week postponement with the Jerusalem District Court on Monday.

Originally scheduled for Dec. 2, Netanyahu’s lawyers argued that Israel’s wartime demands leave no room for trial preparation. They also raised concerns about courthouse security, arguing that regular court appearances during wartime could endanger both the Prime Minister and others present.

Netanyahu faces a complex series of cases that have haunted him since 2020.

Case 1000, known as the “Gifts Affair,” involves allegations that Netanyahu accepted extensive gifts from wealthy businessmen, primarily from Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan and Australian billionaire James Packer. Between 2011 and 2016, Netanyahu received regular deliveries of expensive cigars and champagne, with the total value exceeding 700,000 shekels ($195,000). Prosecutors argue these weren’t mere friendly gestures but rather part of a systematic pattern of receiving benefits in exchange for political favors.

In Case 2000, prosecutors contend that Netanyahu engaged in detailed negotiations with Arnon Mozes, publisher of Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth. Netanyahu allegedly discussed limiting the circulation of Israel Hayom, a free daily newspaper and Yedioth’s main competitor, in exchange for more favorable coverage in Mozes’s paper. While these discussions never materialized into action, prosecutors argue that the mere negotiation of such a deal constitutes breach of trust.

The most severe allegations appear in Case 4000, where prosecutors argue that Netanyahu used his governmental authority to provide regulatory benefits to Bezeq telecommunications company in exchange for favorable coverage on the Walla news website. In the indictment, former editors describe a newsroom where critical stories vanished and detail an elaborate system of message-passing between Netanyahu’s inner circle and media executives, orchestrating coverage down to specific headlines and photo choices.

Israel’s prime minister has maintained his innocence throughout, dismissing the charges as a politically motivated witch hunt.