Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has formally requested a pardon from President Isaac Herzog over the corruption charges for which he has been standing trial for the past five years.
The president’s office confirmed the request, stating that Herzog would consult with senior legal officials before making a decision, noting that it “carries with it significant implications.”
Netanyahu is facing three separate cases involving allegations of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust, all of which he denies. In a video message, he said he would have preferred to see the legal process through to its conclusion but claimed national interest “demanded otherwise.”
Opposition figures have argued that any pardon should only be granted after an admission of guilt.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid insisted that a pardon must be conditional on remorse and Netanyahu’s complete retirement from political life. Left-wing politician Yair Golan said “only the guilty” seek such clemency.
Earlier this month, former US President Donald Trump publicly urged Herzog to “fully pardon” Netanyahu. At the time, Herzog clarified that formal procedures were required for any pardon request.
On Sunday, his office released Netanyahu’s submission and a personal letter, citing “the importance of this extraordinary request and its implications.” No timeline was given for a decision.
The Three Cases Against Him
Netanyahu became the first serving Israeli prime minister to face trial in 2020. The charges are divided into three key cases:
– Case 1000 – Prosecutors say he received gifts, mainly cigars and champagne, from wealthy businessmen in return for favours.
– Case 2000 – He is accused of offering to help boost circulation of an Israeli newspaper in exchange for positive coverage.
– Case 4000 – Prosecutors allege he advanced regulatory benefits for a telecoms company’s controlling shareholder in return for favourable reporting on a news website.
Netanyahu has pleaded not guilty to all charges, describing the trial as a “witch hunt” orchestrated by political rivals.
In a defiant video address, he claimed the cases against him were collapsing but stressed that the proceedings were “tearing Israel apart from within.”
He added: “I am certain, as are many others in the nation, that an immediate end to the trial would greatly help lower the flames and promote broad reconciliation – something our country desperately needs.”
Netanyahu said he was being required to testify three times per week – an obligation he called “an impossible demand.” Granting a pardon, he argued, would help Israel confront threats and seize opportunities by strengthening “national unity.”
Israel’s Basic Law states that the president “has the power to pardon criminals and reduce or transmute [alter] their sentence.” Past rulings by the High Court of Justice have indicated that a pardon can be granted even before a conviction, provided it serves the public interest or involves extreme personal circumstances.
Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud party and his supporters have consistently backed a pardon, viewing it as a necessary step for stability. However, many Israelis—particularly on the left—see it as a threat to the country’s democratic identity and judicial integrity.
Months of mass protests over judicial reforms preceded the Hamas-led attacks of 7 October 2023, which triggered the current Gaza war and shifted public focus. Critics warn that a pardon could add to fears that Israel is drifting away from its foundations as a strong democracy with an independent legal system.
In a separate development, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant last year for Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the war with Hamas. Netanyahu denounced the decision as “antisemitic.”
