Israeli President Isaac Herzog has clarified that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s pardon request remains under legal review, countering impressions created by Donald Trump’s recent statements that suggested Herzog was improperly refusing or delaying action on the clemency petition.
According to Thursday’s statement from Herzog’s office, the pardon application is currently being examined by the Ministry of Justice, which is preparing a formal legal opinion following established protocols. Herzog’s team emphasized that no decision has been made and that any future determination will be based strictly on legal considerations and Israeli law, without regard to political pressure from any source, domestic or international.
Trump’s critique of Herzog emerged during a White House press conference conducted while Netanyahu was in the United States for diplomatic meetings. The former president used strong language to condemn Herzog’s approach, stating that he “should be ashamed of himself” and encouraging Israeli citizens to publicly shame their president for not immediately granting the pardon that Trump himself had requested during an October address to the Israeli parliament.
The corruption charges facing Netanyahu are substantial and varied. Two cases involve allegations that Netanyahu used his position as prime minister to negotiate favorable media coverage from Israeli news outlets in exchange for regulatory benefits. A third case centers on accusations that he accepted more than $260,000 in luxury gifts from billionaire associates, including expensive cigars, champagne, and other high-end items, allegedly in return for political favors that benefited his wealthy benefactors.
Netanyahu’s legal predicament represents a historic moment in Israeli politics, as he is the first serving prime minister to stand trial on criminal charges. The proceedings, which commenced in 2019, have been characterized by Netanyahu as a “political trial” designed to undermine his authority and remove him from office. Throughout the process, Netanyahu has consistently denied all allegations of wrongdoing. While one of the original four charges was dismissed, three serious cases continue through the judicial system. The pardon controversy began following Trump’s October speech to the Knesset, after which Netanyahu’s attorneys formally petitioned Herzog for executive clemency.