Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has formally submitted a pardon request amidst his protracted corruption trial, asserting that this action serves the “public interest.”
In a communication addressed to President Isaac Herzog, Netanyahu stated that his legal proceedings have become the “focus of bitter controversy,” for which he bears “broad public and significant responsibility, recognizing the overall implications of these events.”
Netanyahu contended that while it is in his “personal interest” to establish his innocence in the ongoing trial, the “public interest dictates otherwise.” The letter was submitted on Thursday and made public on Sunday.
As the head of the Israeli state, Herzog holds the exclusive authority to grant pardons. His office confirmed receipt of the request, noting that Herzog “will consider it with great seriousness and responsibility.”
Netanyahu’s single-page appeal includes no admission of guilt nor any commitments regarding his future in politics. He has consistently maintained his innocence against charges involving bribery, fraud, and breach of trust.
This official request for clemency marks a turning point for the long-serving Israeli leader, who previously insisted the charges would collapse and that he would clear his name in court.
“Faced with the security challenges and diplomatic opportunities confronting the State of Israel, I am prepared to do whatever is necessary to heal divisions, achieve national unity, and restore public trust in state institutions,” Netanyahu wrote, adding, “and I expect all branches of government to do the same.”
“Only the Guilty Seek a Pardon”
The opposition was quick to decry Netanyahu’s plea. He is accused of exacerbating fissures within Israeli society—particularly against the Arab population and the left—as well as potentially prolonging the Gaza war for personal political gain.
Yair Lapid, the Israeli opposition leader, urged Herzog to reject the pardon application, at least in its current form. “You cannot grant Netanyahu a pardon without an admission of guilt, an expression of remorse, and an immediate departure from political life,” Lapid declared in a video address.
Yair Golan, head of the left-wing Meretz party, stated on X: “Only the guilty ask for clemency. After eight years of court proceedings, with the cases against him not having collapsed, Netanyahu is now seeking a pardon.”
However, Netanyahu’s political allies have voiced support for the pardon. Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir backed the request, asserting in a statement that it is “critically important for the state’s safety and security.”
Earlier this month, former US President Donald Trump reiterated his involvement in the case, sending a letter to the Israeli President requesting a pardon for Netanyahu, perhaps his most vocal international supporter.
“I hereby urge you to fully pardon Binyamin Netanyahu, who was a formidable and decisive prime minister during the war and is now guiding Israel in peacetime,” Trump wrote in the letter, which was distributed by the Israeli President’s spokesperson.
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