Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has formally appealed to President Isaac Herzog for a pardon, seeking relief from corruption charges that have shadowed his political career for half a decade.
Herzog’s office confirmed receiving the request along with a personal letter from Netanyahu, saying legal experts would review the matter before any decision is made. The president described the appeal as carrying “significant implications,” signaling a potentially contentious national debate ahead.
Netanyahu is currently on trial for bribery, fraud, and breach of trust across three separate cases. He has repeatedly denied all allegations. In a defiant video statement on Sunday, he insisted the charges were collapsing but said prolonging the process was harming the nation. He claimed ending the trial would “lower the flames” and advance reconciliation in a country still fractured by political and security crises.
Israel’s opposition parties, however, reacted sharply. Yair Lapid said no pardon should be considered without an admission of guilt, remorse, and Netanyahu’s resignation from public life. Former military commander and politician Yair Golan argued that “only the guilty” seek pardons.
Netanyahu, who became the first sitting prime minister in Israel’s history to stand trial in 2020, is accused of:
- Accepting luxury gifts — including cigars and champagne — from influential businessmen
- Offering to influence newspaper circulation in return for favourable press
- Advancing regulatory decisions benefiting a telecoms mogul in exchange for positive online coverage
Throughout the proceedings, Netanyahu has claimed he is the victim of a politically driven “witch hunt.”
The timing of the pardon request is particularly sensitive. Israel has spent years grappling with fierce public divisions, especially during the 2023 judicial overhaul protests that saw hundreds of thousands take to the streets. Critics argue that pardoning Netanyahu would further erode trust in the justice system.
The president does have constitutional power to grant pardons — even before a conviction — if he determines it serves the public interest or is justified by exceptional circumstances.
Adding to the complexity, Netanyahu is also facing an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for alleged war crimes during the Gaza war, a move he has condemned as “antisemitic.”
Herzog has not indicated when he will decide on the pardon request, leaving Israel in suspense as the political and legal ramifications continue to unfold.
