Israeli President Isaac Herzog has received a letter from US President Donald Trump, in which the American officially calls for a full pardon for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in connection with his trial on alleged corruption and conflict of interest, writes the BBC.
The trial against Netanyahu has been ongoing for five years in three separate cases. In 2020, he became the first sitting Israeli prime minister to stand trial. The first case examines the alleged receipt of gifts, mainly expensive cigars and champagne, from influential businessmen in exchange for services. The second case concerns assistance to an Israeli newspaper in exchange for positive content, and in the third case, prosecutors believe that Netanyahu facilitated decisions that benefited shareholders of Israeli television channels in return for receiving positive media coverage of his policies. The Israeli prime minister has denied wrongdoing and has called it a “witch hunt.”
Trump wrote in the letter that he fully respects the independence of the Israeli judiciary, but believes that Netanyahu is being persecuted unfoundedly and politically. Herzog’s office responded that it respects Trump’s opinion, but that anyone who wants to seek clemency must file a formal request themselves.
Netanyahu thanked Trump for his incredible support, and wrote on the X that the US president, as usual, calls things by their real names, and that he looks forward to continuing cooperation in strengthening security and achieving peace.
In October, after helping to conclude a ceasefire with the terrorist group Hamas in Gaza,
Trump alleged in a speech that legal proceedings against Netanyahu should be closed,
seemingly unrelatedly stating that no one cares about cigars and champagne.
In a letter to Herzog, Trump wrote that as the great state of Israel and its great people move on from three terrible years, he is asking for a full pardon for Netanyahu, who has been a formidable and decisive prime minister during a time of war and is now leading the country to peace. He added that he respects the independence of Israel’s judiciary, but believes the cases against Netanyahu are without merit. Herzog’s office responded that it has great respect for Trump and is grateful for his continued support for Israel, but that anyone seeking a pardon must file a formal request in accordance with the appropriate procedures.
Israeli law states that the president has the authority to pardon criminals and reduce or cancel sentences. However, the Supreme Court has previously ruled that a person can be pardoned before sentencing if it is in the public interest or if there are exceptional personal circumstances. It also states that the pardon must be requested by the defendant or a close relative. There is currently no indication that this could happen,
although Israeli media have speculated that such a possibility exists.
Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gurion has urged Herzog to listen to what Trump has said. Meanwhile, Israeli opposition leader and former prime minister Yair Lapid has reminded that, according to the country’s law, the first condition for a pardon is an admission of guilt and a show of remorse. He later told the Israeli parliament that there is a moment when Trump has to say “no,” and there is a limit to how much one can interfere in the internal affairs of a sovereign country.
Netanyahu’s supporters and his party have long talked about a pardon, but many in Israel, especially those on the left, would see it as a departure from a democracy with a strong judicial system.
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