Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has formally asked President Isaac Herzog to grant him a pardon in the ongoing corruption cases, marking a dramatic turn in a legal battle that has gripped Israel for years. According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the request was submitted to the legal department of the President’s Office, accompanied by a detailed letter from Netanyahu’s lawyer and another personally signed by the prime minister.
In a video message released soon after, Netanyahu said he would have preferred to see the legal proceedings reach their natural conclusion. However, he argued that the country’s current military and national situation required an immediate end to the trial. He claimed that halting the case now would help “lower the flames” and bring the “national reconciliation” Israel urgently needs.
Netanyahu also said that being required to appear in court three times a week was making it difficult for him to lead the country effectively. His appeal comes amid heightened political tension, making the move both unprecedented and highly sensitive.
The President’s Office described the request as “extraordinary” and noted that it carries “significant implications.” Officials said the documents would be transferred to the justice ministry for review before being examined by the Legal Advisor to the President.
Netanyahu is the only sitting Israeli prime minister ever to face trial. He has been charged with bribery, fraud, and breach of trust in three separate cases, all of which he denies. The indictments, announced in 2019, led to a trial that formally began in May 2020.
The most serious case involves allegations that Netanyahu advanced regulations benefiting Israel’s Bezeq telecom company in exchange for favourable media coverage. In another case, prosecutors say he received gifts worth up to $200,000 from Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan and Australian billionaire James Packer, allegedly in return for political favours and support in the US. The third case centres on accusations that Netanyahu sought favourable coverage from a major newspaper by proposing legislation that would weaken a rival publication.
The pardon request comes shortly after US President Donald Trump publicly urged Israel to consider pardoning Netanyahu, adding further political weight to the development. Netanyahu has not been convicted in any of the cases so far.
