Netanyahu Asked Israel's President To Pardon Him

• 30.11.2025, 17:33

The country's prime minister said it would "restore national unity".

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has sent a formal request for a pardon to the country's President Yitzhak Herzog, the presidential office said Sunday.

Separately in a video message, Netanyahu said his case had divided the country and a pardon would help restore national unity. He also said the requirement to appear in court three times a week distracted him from running the state, BBC reported.

In early November, U.S. President Donald Trump sent a letter to Herzog urging him to "fully pardon" Netanyahu. Trump wrote that Netanyahu had "bravely defended Israel in the face of strong adversaries" and that it was unjustified to distract him from leading the country.

In Israel, the president serves a largely symbolic function, but one constitutional law gives him the power to "pardon criminals and commute and commute their sentences."

Also in the past, the Israeli Supreme Court has ruled that the president can also exercise the power to pardon individuals who are not convicted if the public interest or "extraordinary personalities" require it. After receiving all relevant opinions, the president will responsibly and sincerely consider this request," Herzog's office said, without specifying how soon the president could make a decision.

The presidential administration published the full text of the request, which includes a letter signed by the prime minister and a 111-page document by his lawyer.