Israeli President Isaac Herzog has prioritized following proper legal process over responding to political pressure regarding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s pardon request, issuing a statement Thursday that addressed Donald Trump’s characterization of his approach as disgraceful.
Herzog’s office provided detailed information about the ongoing review, noting that the Ministry of Justice is currently preparing a formal legal opinion on the pardon application in accordance with standard governmental procedures. The statement clarified that Herzog has not made any decision and will do so only after the legal review is complete, based strictly on Israeli law and without yielding to external influence.
The diplomatic tension escalated when Trump, during a White House press conference held while Netanyahu was visiting Washington, publicly attacked Herzog’s handling of the pardon request. The former American president suggested that Herzog deserved to be ashamed and that Israeli citizens should pressure their president to act more favorably toward Netanyahu. The remarks represented an extraordinary intervention in another country’s internal legal affairs.
The corruption charges against Netanyahu encompass a range of serious allegations across three active cases. Two prosecutions involve claims that Netanyahu leveraged his position to negotiate favorable media coverage from Israeli news outlets in exchange for regulatory decisions. The third case centers on accusations that he accepted extravagant gifts worth over $260,000 from billionaire associates, including luxury cigars, expensive champagne, and jewelry, allegedly in return for political favors.
Netanyahu’s legal predicament has created an unprecedented situation in Israeli politics, as he is the first serving prime minister to face criminal trial. The proceedings, which commenced in 2019, have been characterized by Netanyahu as a “political trial” designed to undermine his authority. Throughout the process, Netanyahu has consistently denied all allegations of wrongdoing. While one of four original charges was dismissed, three serious cases remain active. The pardon controversy began when Trump addressed Israel’s parliament in October and publicly called for Herzog to grant clemency, leading to the formal submission of a pardon petition by Netanyahu’s legal team.
