Jerusalem District Prosecutor Attorney Eli Abarbanel issued a request to the Jerusalem District Court on Monday to postpone former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert 'strial by three months, which is currently slated to open next week. This comes after Deputy Jerusalem District Prosecutor Attorney Uri Korev was put on forced leave after calling the judges "donkeys."
"Attorney Korev has been on this case since its inception," wrote Attorney Abarbanel. "He is fluent in its smallest details and should play a significant role as the case is presented before the court. His absence at this stage of the case will impair the plaintiff's ability to present her case before the court."
Abarbanel added that the postponement request is not a trivial matter that could be construed as an effort to inflict serious damage on the court's operations and its special preparations made ahead of the evidentiary stage.
Attorney Uri Korev after Sunday's vacation decision (Photo: Noam Moskowitz)
"The plaintiff would not submit such a request if not for the unusual constraints it is currently under. As a result of this unexpected development that led to the unusual situation the plaintiff encountered, the court is request to postpone the start of the evidentiary stage in the case by three months," the request detailed.
Deputy Jerusalem District Prosecutor Attorney Korev was put on temporary leave Sunday after he made controversial statements against the judicial system.
Olmert's media advisor, Amir Dan, said to Ynet: "From our perspective, there is no reason to postpone the trial by even one day. However, we leave it to the court's consideration."
He added, "There is no reason for the court to agree to the prosecution's postponement request, especially when the judges refused Olmert's defense team's request to postpone the case when Attorney Yehuda Weinstein retired from the post."