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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has requested a presidential pardon in his ongoing corruption cases, saying the prolonged legal proceedings are tearing the nation apart. The 76-year-old premier, Israel’s longest-serving leader, did not admit any wrongdoing in the request, which was formally submitted to President Isaac Herzog on Sunday.
Netanyahu, who has been on trial for nearly six years, said in a video statement that while he had intended to see the process through to acquittal, the political and security realities now compelled him to act. “The continuation of the trial is tearing us apart from within, intensifying divisions and inflaming rifts across the country,” he said.
The cases against Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, centre on allegations of accepting over $260,000 in luxury gifts, including cigars, jewellery, and champagne, in return for political favours. He also faces charges of attempting to secure favourable media coverage in two separate cases.
The move follows a letter from former US President Donald Trump urging Herzog to grant a pardon. Netanyahu described the trial’s demands, including attending testimony three times a week, as “impossible,” and suggested that ending the proceedings could help heal the deep societal divisions.
Herzog’s office confirmed receipt of the request, calling it “extraordinary” with “significant implications” and pledging careful consideration. The president had previously indicated in September that he could contemplate a pardon, noting the strain the trial places on Israeli society.
Legal experts have warned that under Israeli law, a pardon can only be granted to someone convicted of a crime, suggesting Herzog could face legal challenges if he acts. Opponents argue a pardon without admission of guilt would undermine justice, with Yair Lapid calling for Netanyahu to show remorse and step back from politics. Others, including Defence Minister Israel Katz and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, support the request, arguing it could end a decade-long societal rift.
Netanyahu is the first sitting Israeli prime minister to face a corruption trial, with previous leaders, such as Ehud Olmert, resigning before sentencing. Outside Herzog’s residence in Tel Aviv, dozens of protesters urged the president to reject the pardon, warning that granting it could endanger Israeli democracy.
