Israeli PM Netanyahu Seeks Presidential Pardon Amid Ongoing Corruption Trial

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has formally requested a presidential pardon from President Isaac Herzog, marking a dramatic turn in his five-year corruption trial.

Herzog’s office confirmed on Sunday that the president would seek legal opinions before considering what it described as an “extraordinary request which carries significant implications”.

Netanyahu, who is standing trial on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust across three cases, maintained in a video message that he would have preferred to see the judicial process through, but said national interest “demanded otherwise.” He, however, denied all wrongdoings.

The request came weeks after US President Donald Trump publicly urged Herzog to “fully pardon” Netanyahu.

Herzog had insisted that any pardon must be sought through a formal application, one that his office has now released along with Netanyahu’s personal letter, citing the gravity of the move. No timeline has been given for a decision.

Netanyahu became the first sitting Israeli prime minister to stand trial when proceedings began in 2020.

Prosecutors alleged he accepted gifts, including cigars and premium champagne, from wealthy businessmen in exchange for favours, sought favourable media coverage by offering regulatory benefits to a newspaper, and advanced decisions beneficial to a telecoms mogul in return for positive reporting by a news website.

Netanyahu has repeatedly rejected the allegations, describing the trial as a “witch-hunt” led by political rivals.

In his message on Sunday, he argued that the continuation of the trial “tears us apart from within” at a time when Israel faces “enormous challenges” requiring unity.

He insisted that ending the case would help “lower the flames” and promote national reconciliation.

Israel’s Basic Law empowers the president to grant pardons or alter sentences.

Although rare, the High Court of Justice has previously ruled that a pardon may be issued before conviction if it serves the public interest or stems from exceptional personal circumstances.

While Netanyahu’s Likud party and supporters have long backed the idea of a pardon, opponents warned it would mark a troubling step away from Israel’s identity as a strong democracy with an independent judiciary.

Concerns over judicial integrity previously fuelled mass protests against the government’s judicial overhaul plans. These demonstrations continued for months until the Hamas-led attacks of October 7, 2023 shifted national focus to the Gaza war.