Israeli President's Office Denies Claim of Imminent Netanyahu Pardon Amid Ongoing Trial
The Israeli President Isaac Herzog's office has denied Donald Trump's claim that former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will soon receive a pardon. The office emphasized that there have been no conversations regarding a pardon since Trump's November letter requesting clemency.
Trump, speaking in Florida, stated that Herzog informed him a pardon was forthcoming and referred to Netanyahu as a wartime prime minister and hero. Netanyahu, aged 76, is currently on trial for corruption and denies allegations of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust stemming from a 2019 indictment. He would be the first sitting Israeli prime minister to face such charges.
A potential sentence for Netanyahu could include prison time and a lengthy ban from holding public office. Analysts suggest that such a ban would likely end Netanyahu's political career given his age.
Trump has repeatedly advocated for a pardon, sending a letter in November to Herzog urging clemency and describing the prosecution as politically motivated and unjustified. Herzog's office reiterated that pardons must follow established legal procedures and that decisions would be made accordingly, with no shortcuts based on external pressure.
Netanyahu submitted a formal pardon request on 30 November, arguing that the frequent court hearings impair governance and that granting clemency would serve the national interest. However, opponents argue that pardoning Netanyahu mid-trial would undermine the rule of law, noting there is no precedent for canceling ongoing trials.
The cases against Netanyahu include allegations that he and his wife Sara accepted over $260,000 in luxury gifts in exchange for favors and attempted to secure more favorable media coverage in separate cases.
