JERUSALEM – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s legal team has requested a 15-day delay for the start of his testimony in his ongoing criminal trial, Israeli media reported Sunday.

The team argued that despite its best efforts, it would not be ready by the planned Dec. 2 date, according to the report.

This request followed an earlier request by the team for a 10-week delay, which the court rejected on November 13, citing that Netanyahu had already had five months to prepare for the trial since the date was set in July.

The team said that since the court’s rejection it had worked intensively with Netanyahu on preparation, including holding daily late-night meetings, but would still not be sufficiently prepared to begin his testimony as planned, according to media reports.

The International Criminal Court’s recent issuance of an arrest warrant for Netanyahu for “crimes against humanity and war crimes” between at least October 8, 2023 and May 20, 2024 has further complicated his ability to prepare, the team said.

The trial, which began in early 2020, involves three separate cases in which Netanyahu is accused of accepting bribes, fraud and breach of trust. Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, has denied any wrongdoing, calling the trial a politically motivated “witch hunt.”

After more than two months of interruption due to the Israel-Hamas conflict, Netanyahu’s trial resumed in early December 2023.

If convicted, Netanyahu is expected to face harsh penalties, including prison time, which would make him the first outgoing Israeli prime minister convicted of criminal offenses.