Netanyahu writes to Israeli president requesting pardon in corruption cases

President Isaac Herzog has requested a formal pardon from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is facing long-running corruption cases.

The President’s Office is aware that this request is unusual and has significant implications. The president will take the request seriously and sincerely after receiving all relevant opinions, Herzog’s office said in a statement on Sunday.

In addition to allegations of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust, Netanyahu faces three additional cases of corruption in 2019. He denies the accusations and enters a not-guilty plea.

Herzog is requesting Netanyahu’s pardon in the circumstances that US President Donald Trump is pressing for. Trump earlier in November wrote to Herzog asking him to take the pardon into account.

In an address to the Israeli parliament in October, Trump had also urged Herzog to pardon Netanyahu.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague is also looking into the Israeli prime minister. The ICC issued arrest warrants for former defense minister Yoav Gallant and Netanyahu on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza in November 2024.

After being accused of fraud, breach of trust, and accepting bribes in three separate cases where he was accused of favoring wealthy political supporters, Netanyahu is the only sitting prime minister in Israeli history to go on trial.

He is accused of receiving nearly 700,000 shekels ($211, 832) in gifts from businessmen in the graft cases against him.

Herzog has the authority to pardon convicted criminals in unusual circumstances, despite the presidency of Israel’s largely ceremonial role.

However, Netanyahu’s trial, which started in 2020, is still unfinished.

Netanyahu claimed that the trial had divided the nation and that a pardon would bring back national harmony in a videotaped statement. He added that he finds it difficult to lead the nation because of the requirement that he appear in court three times per week.