Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has submitted an official request for a pardon to President Isaac Herzog, the president’s office said on Sunday.
Netanyahu is currently on trial for corruption and has pleaded not guilty. The trial, which began in 2020, is still ongoing, and Netanyahu has long claimed the charges are part of a left-wing plot to remove him from power.
Herzog’s office called the request “extraordinary” and said it carried “significant implications”. It added that the president would consider it “responsibly and sincerely” after reviewing all relevant opinions. There was no immediate comment from Netanyahu’s office.
As part of the background to the case, Herzog’s office confirmed last week that it had received a letter from U.S. President Donald Trump urging him to consider granting Netanyahu a pardon. Trump has repeatedly voiced support for Netanyahu, calling the charges a “political, unjustified prosecution”.
Herzog’s office said that any pardon must follow formal procedures. Trump also urged Herzog to issue a pardon during a visit to Israel in October, when he addressed parliament in Jerusalem.
Netanyahu was indicted in 2019 in three cases, including allegations of receiving nearly 700,000 shekels ($211,832) in gifts from businessmen. Although the president’s role is mainly ceremonial, Herzog has the authority to grant pardons in unusual circumstances.
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