President Isaac Herzog of Israel has defended his careful timeline for reviewing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s pardon request, responding Thursday to Donald Trump’s demands that he immediately grant the clemency petition, which Trump characterized as disgraceful to withhold.
The statement issued by Herzog’s office outlined the comprehensive nature of the legal review currently underway, explaining that the Ministry of Justice is preparing a detailed legal opinion on the pardon application in accordance with all standard governmental procedures that govern such requests. Herzog’s team emphasized that the president will only consider the pardon request after receiving this complete legal analysis and will make his final determination based strictly on the requirements and principles of Israeli law, without being influenced by external political pressure from any source, including foreign leaders, or internal political considerations.
Trump’s unprecedented criticism of Herzog came during a press conference at the White House that took place while Netanyahu was in the United States capital for scheduled bilateral diplomatic meetings and discussions. The former American president used remarkably harsh and personal language to attack Herzog’s handling of the pardon request, telling assembled reporters that Herzog “should be ashamed of himself” for not immediately and favorably responding to the clemency petition, and additionally suggested that Israeli citizens should publicly condemn and shame their president for his approach to this matter. The comments represented an extraordinary and highly unusual level of direct intervention by a former American leader in another democratic nation’s internal legal processes and governmental affairs.
The serious corruption allegations facing Netanyahu encompass three separate and ongoing criminal prosecutions that have become central to Israeli political debates and discussions. In two of these major cases, prosecutors have constructed detailed accusations claiming that Netanyahu engineered and negotiated complex arrangements with major Israeli media companies and news organizations, allegedly using his governmental position and regulatory authority to trade policy decisions and regulatory benefits for favorable and positive news coverage of himself, his family members, and his administration’s policies. The third criminal case involves more direct and personal allegations of bribery and corruption, with authorities claiming that Netanyahu systematically accepted extravagant luxury gifts worth more than $260,000 from billionaire associates and wealthy supporters, including expensive cigars, premium champagne bottles, designer jewelry pieces, and various other high-end luxury items, allegedly in exchange for political favors, governmental decisions, regulatory actions, and policy changes that directly benefited these wealthy benefactors and their business enterprises.
Netanyahu’s position as Israel’s first sitting prime minister to face criminal prosecution has created an unprecedented political and constitutional situation that has divided the nation and dominated political discourse since the proceedings began in 2019. Throughout all legal proceedings and court appearances, Netanyahu has consistently and vigorously maintained his complete innocence, repeatedly characterizing the three prosecutions as a coordinated “political trial” orchestrated by his political opponents, elements of the legal establishment, law enforcement officials, and segments of the Israeli media to undermine his democratically elected leadership and remove him from office through judicial means rather than through legitimate electoral processes. Although prosecutors initially brought four separate corruption charges against Netanyahu, one of these charges was subsequently dismissed by the courts, leaving three substantial and serious criminal cases still active and proceeding through the Israeli judicial system. The current international controversy and political debate over a potential presidential pardon officially began when Trump delivered a speech to the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, in October, during which he publicly and directly addressed President Herzog, urging and encouraging him to grant clemency and issue a pardon to Netanyahu, which subsequently prompted and motivated Netanyahu’s legal defense team to formally submit an official pardon request and petition to Herzog’s presidential office for his review and consideration.
