Israeli PM Petitions President Herzog to End Long-Running Legal Battle, Citing Need for National Unity

 

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TEL AVIV, ISRAEL – In a development that has sent shockwaves through Israel’s political and legal establishments, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has formally requested a presidential pardon from his long-running corruption trial. The move, confirmed by the Prime Minister’s Office on Sunday, is being described as “extraordinary” by the President’s office and carries significant political and constitutional implications.

Netanyahu, the first sitting Israeli Prime Minister to stand trial, faces charges of fraud, breach of trust, and bribery across three separate cases. While he has consistently denied all wrongdoing and has not yet been convicted, the trial, which began in 2020, has been a deep source of political division within the country.

 The Prime Minister’s Case for Clemency

 

In a video statement released by his Likud party, and detailed in a submission exceeding 100 pages, the Prime Minister framed the request not as an admission of guilt, but as a necessary measure for national unity and effective governance.

• Citing National Interest: Netanyahu argued that the ongoing trial is “tearing us apart from within” and “deepens rifts,” asserting that its “immediate conclusion would greatly help to lower the flames and promote the broad reconciliation that our country so desperately needs.”

• Interference with Duties: His lawyers stressed that the requirement for him to appear in court multiple times a week is an “impossible demand” and a significant distraction, hindering his ability to lead the country, particularly amid ongoing security and diplomatic challenges.

• Expectation of Acquittal: Notably, the legal submission maintains that the Prime Minister still believes the legal proceedings would ultimately result in a complete acquittal, a stance that complicates the traditional premise of a pardon.

Presidential Response and Legal Precedent

 

President Isaac Herzog’s office confirmed receipt of the appeal, acknowledging its gravity. The request, which includes a detailed letter from Netanyahu’s lawyer and a personal letter from the Prime Minister, has been passed to the Justice Ministry for an opinion before being forwarded to the President’s legal adviser for a final recommendation.

• “Extraordinary Request”: Herzog’s office stated it would “responsibly and sincerely consider the request,” but qualified it as “an extraordinary request which carries with it significant implications.”

• Deviation from Norms: In Israel, presidential pardons are almost exclusively granted after a conviction has been delivered. Granting a pardon to an unconvicted politician facing such serious corruption charges would be a highly unprecedented action, potentially setting a controversial new standard. Legal experts argue that only the Attorney General has the authority to halt criminal proceedings.

 Opposition Outcry and Political Implications

 

The pardon request has drawn immediate and fierce denunciation from political opponents and civil society groups, who warn that granting it would undermine the rule of law.

• Demand for Admission of Guilt: Opposition Leader Yair Lapid urged President Herzog to reject the plea, stating, “You cannot grant him a pardon without an admission of guilt, an expression of remorse and an immediate retirement from political life.”

• Harm to Democracy: Advocacy groups, such as the Movement for Quality Government in Israel, argued that pardoning a Prime Minister accused of serious offenses like fraud and breach of trust would signal that powerful figures are “above the law.”

• Trump’s Influence: The request follows an appeal made by President Donald Trump, a close ally of Netanyahu, who had written to President Herzog urging him to grant a “fully pardon,” calling the case “political, unjustified prosecution.”

The fate of the pardon now rests with President Herzog, whose decision will be one of the most consequential in Israeli legal history, determining not only the conclusion of Netanyahu’s personal legal battle but also the perceived strength and independence of the country’s democratic institutions.