Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has requested President Isaac Herzog a pardon in the long-running corruption cases against him. This came months after US President Donald Trump wrote to the Israeli President, recommending Netanyahu, his close ally in the Middle East, for a presidential pardon.
Netanyahu has been facing a long-running corruption trial, and Trump has repeatedly asked for a pardon for him. Netanyahu denies the charges and has pleaded not guilty.
The Israeli prime minister’s office said Sunday that Benjamin Netanyahu has formally requested a presidential pardon, submitting the appeal to the legal team at the Office of the President.
Netanyahu’s pardon request included two documents: a detailed letter from his lawyer and a separate letter he personally signed.
Both will be reviewed by the justice ministry before being forwarded to the Legal Advisor in the President’s Office, which will prepare additional opinions to guide the president’s decision.
The president’s office described it as an "extraordinary request" with "significant implications".
Netanyahu is the only sitting Israeli prime minister to face trial, charged in three corruption cases involving allegations of fraud, breach of trust, and accepting bribes in dealings with wealthy associates. He has not been convicted, and all cases against him remain ongoing.
The president’s office noted that anyone seeking clemency must file a formal request under standard procedures.
During his October visit to Israel, Donald Trump had also publicly urged President Isaac Herzog to pardon Netanyahu in an address to parliament.
Netanyahu was indicted in 2019 in three corruption cases, including allegations that he accepted nearly 700,000 shekels (about USD 212,000) in gifts from businessmen.
Although the Israeli presidency is largely ceremonial, Herzog can grant pardons in exceptional situations.
Netanyahu’s trial, underway since 2020, is still unresolved. He has pleaded not guilty and portrays the charges as a politically motivated campaign to unseat him.
Source: ANI