Pardon for Netanyahu: The Israeli Presidency Responds to Trump's Pressure
The Israeli presidency announced that the pardon request submitted by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is still under legal review at the Ministry of Justice, and no decision has been made regarding it yet.
The office of Israeli President Isaac Herzog stated that "Israel is a sovereign state governed by the rule of law," adding that the impression created by U.S. President Donald Trump's statements about granting the pardon is inaccurate, and Herzog has not yet decided on the request.
* Trump Publicly Pressures for the Pardon
U.S. President Trump publicly criticized Herzog, asserting that Netanyahu should receive a pardon for the corruption charges he faces, adding that the Israeli president "should be ashamed of himself" for not granting the pardon.
Trump mentioned during an event at the White House that Netanyahu "performed excellently in wartime" and that the Israeli people should feel upset about the lack of a pardon.
Trump's statements came after he met with Netanyahu in Washington on Wednesday, in the seventh meeting between them since Trump returned to office last year, where the two discussed ways to reach an agreement on Iran's nuclear program and its ballistic missiles.
* Netanyahu is the First Israeli Prime Minister to Face Charges While in Office
Netanyahu has faced charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust since 2019, all of which he denies.
However, Israeli law grants him the authority to pardon, although issuing a pardon during trial has no precedent.
Trump had previously urged the Israeli president to pardon Netanyahu several times, and noted last December that Herzog told him the pardon was "on the way," but the presidency's office quickly denied that officially.
