Binyamin Ben-Eliezer
Binyamin Ben-EliezerFlash 90

Lawyers for former Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer are planning to ask the Attorney General to delay the start of his corruption trial due to health concerns, Channel 2 News revealed on Sunday.

Ben-Eliezer, who also served in the past as head of the Labor party, is suspected of receiving money related to his public activities from various businessmen, and then using that money to purchase real estate, among other things.

The former MK is also suspected of exchanging foreign currency worth hundreds of thousands of dollars without reporting it to the authorities while attempting to hide the process.

As well, Ben-Eliezer is suspected of providing the Knesset Speaker with false financial statements, not reporting accumulated assets, and of not reporting income to tax authorities.

His trial is due to start in several weeks but, according to Channel 2, his lawyers are asking that it be postponed due to the rise in the number of dialysis treatments the former minister is undergoing, from three treatments a week to four treatments a week.

Ben-Eliezer resigned from the Knesset and retired from public life as the corruption investigation continued.

He had previously ran for the position of President, but dropped out of the race several days before the vote due to the investigation.

He has been suffering from health issues for several years, and was hospitalized for several days in December of 2014 due to fever.

Earlier that year, Ben-Eliezer underwent a kidney transplant but resumed political activity immediately after the surgery, which he described as "routine and easy."