A court in Jerusalem has cancelled the corruption trial of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu scheduled for Monday, after his ally, U.S. President Donald Trump, publicly spoke against the alleged witch-hunt of the “war hero.”

Mr Netanyahu was expected to appear before the Jerusalem District Court for cross-examination on Monday over 2019 charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust in a case that the politician and his supporters have described as an orchestrated attack by the opposition.

However, after rejecting a request by Mr Netanyahu to delay continuation of the trial for two weeks on Friday, citing diplomatic and security reasons following a 12-day war against Iran, the court has backtracked from its decision and agreed to cancel Monday’s hearing.

According to the Reuters news agency, the court cited subsequent reasons provided by Mr Netanyahu, the head of the Israeli spy agency Mossad and the military intelligence chief as justification to grant the cancellation.

The ruling came a day after Mr Trump called out the Israeli judiciary for continuing the prosecution of Mr Netanyahu over a “political witch-hunt” similar to the one he endured during former President Joe Biden’s administration. 

The American leader further described Mr Netanyahu as a “war hero” who has done a great job with the United States to destroy Iran’s nuclear threat, ordering the prosecutors to end the case, as his administration would not stand for it.

“It is terrible what they are doing in Israel to Bibi Netanyahu,” Mr Trump said in a post on Truth Social. “He is a war hero and a Prime Minister who did a fabulous job working with the United States to bring great success in getting rid of the dangerous nuclear threat in Iran. Importantly, he is right now in the process of negotiating a deal with Hamas, which will include getting the Hostages back.”

He added, “How is it possible that the prime minister of Israel can be forced to sit in a courtroom all day long, over nothing (cigars, bugs, bunny doll, etc.). It is a political witch hunt, very similar to the witch hunt that I was forced to endure. This travesty of ‘justice’ will interfere with both Iran and Hamas negotiations. In other words, it is insanity doing what the out-of-control prosecutors are doing to Bibi Netanyahu.

“The United States of America spends billions of dollars a year, far more than on any other nation, protecting and supporting Israel. We are not going to stand for this. We just had a great victory with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu at the helm – And this greatly tarnishes our victory.”