Since the beginning of his trial, Netanyahu has refused to plead guilty and request a pardon, as Israeli law does not allow the president to grant a pardon unless guilt has been admitted.
Herzog's office said in a statement: "A short while ago, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu submitted a pardon request to President Isaac Herzog," explaining that "the Prime Minister's lawyer, Amit Haddad, submitted the request to the legal department in the President's office."
Regarding the fate of the request, the statement explained that it "is currently being referred to the Pardon Department at the Ministry of Justice, to gather the opinions of all relevant parties within the ministry," and added, "After that, their opinions will be referred to the legal advisor in the President's office and her team to formulate an additional opinion for the President."
He added that "the President's office recognizes that this is an exceptional request with significant implications, and the President will consider it after receiving all opinions."
Regarding the nature of the request, Herzog's office stated that it "consists of two documents: a detailed letter signed by the Prime Minister's lawyer, and a letter signed by the Prime Minister," and added that "given the importance of this exceptional request and its implications, the release of the documents for publication (in Hebrew) was deemed appropriate."
Without admitting guilt
Netanyahu wrote in his pardon request to Herzog: “In recent years, tensions and disagreements have escalated between parts of the people and between the various authorities in the state,” according to Channel 12 Hebrew (private). He added: “I am aware that the procedures taken in my case have become the focus of sharp disagreements.”
In his first official comment on submitting the pardon request, Netanyahu said in a video statement: "This is a national interest, as the continuation of the trial is tearing us apart from within," adding that "the security and political reality and the national interest require that the trial be ended immediately."
According to the channel, Netanyahu did not explicitly admit guilt, saying: "Despite my personal interest in proving my innocence, personal interest dictates otherwise." He continued: "I have no doubt that the end of the trial will help to reduce the intensity of the controversy surrounding it."
Opposition position
In contrast, the Israeli opposition on Sunday called on President Isaac Herzog not to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu unless he withdraws from political life.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid said in a video message broadcast via the American company X's platform: "I appeal to President Herzog... You cannot grant Netanyahu a pardon without an admission of guilt, a show of remorse, and an immediate withdrawal from political life."
Opposition Democratic Party leader Yair Golan wrote via X: "Only a guilty party asks for forgiveness after eight years of trial, and when the cases against him have not collapsed, Netanyahu asks for forgiveness." He added: "The only possible deal is for Netanyahu to take responsibility, admit guilt, leave politics, and free the people and the state... Only in this way will unity among the people be achieved."
The Movement for Quality Governance (Ahliya) criticized, in a statement, the possibility of "pardoning a person being tried on three serious charges related to bribery, fraud and breach of trust," and considered that such a pardon "would undermine the principle of equality before the law."
The “Brothers in Arms” protest movement, which includes hundreds of reserve soldiers, also rejected the possibility of pardoning Netanyahu, saying in a statement: “For 20 years, Netanyahu has been dividing the people, inciting against the justice system, attacking law enforcement agencies, and destroying society,” according to the newspaper Yediot Aharonot.
On November 13, US President Donald Trump sent an official letter to Herzog asking him to pardon Netanyahu.
This message angered the opposition, who considered it an American interference in an internal Israeli matter.
Netanyahu is on trial in three cases known as Cases 1000, 2000 and 4000.
"Case 1000" relates to the accusations against Netanyahu that he and members of his family received valuable gifts from businessmen in exchange for providing them with facilities and assistance in various fields.
In “Case 2000”, he is accused of negotiating with the publisher of the Hebrew newspaper “Yedioth Ahronoth” (private), Arnon Mozes, to obtain positive media coverage.
As for "Case 4000," it concerns the provision of favors to the former owner of the Hebrew news site "Walla," Shaul Elovitch, who was also an official at the Bezeq telecommunications company, in exchange for positive media coverage.
Netanyahu’s trial in those cases began in 2020. He denies the charges against him, claiming they are a “political campaign aimed at overthrowing him.”
In addition to his local trial, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu on November 21, 2024, on charges of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity against Palestinians in Gaza.
