The Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, presented this Sunday (30) a formal request for a pardon to President Isaac Herzog, trying to end the corruption processes that have accompanied him for more than five years.
The request comes at a politically sensitive time, on the eve of an election year and after strong pressure from the President of the United States, Donald Trump, for the pardon to be granted.
In a statement, Herzog’s office classified the request as “extraordinary” and stated that the president will only make a decision after analyzing all necessary opinions. Although he holds a predominantly ceremonial role, the Israeli president has the power to grant pardons in exceptional situations.
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Netanyahu faces three interconnected cases, in which he is accused of bribery, fraud and breach of trust. According to the allegations, the prime minister had received luxury gifts, valued at more than US$260,000, in exchange for political favors to businessmen.
In two other cases, he is accused of trying to obtain favorable coverage in press outlets in exchange for regulatory benefits. He denies all accusations and claims he is the target of a “witch hunt” to overthrow a democratically elected conservative leader.
In a video posted on social media, Netanyahu said that an immediate pardon would help “promote national reconciliation.” According to him, although he wanted to conclude the judicial process, the “demands of reality” require another solution.
The request was filed just days after Trump sent a letter to Herzog asking for clemency for his ally. In the message, made public by the Israeli president’s office, Trump called the case against Netanyahu an “unjustified political persecution” and stated that the prime minister was his partner in containing Iran.
The trial against Netanyahu began in May 2020 and has been postponed several times since then. Critics of the government accuse it of prolonging the war against Hamas to avoid losing power, and thus making itself more vulnerable to possible arrest orders.
The prime minister’s international image also suffered further damage last year, when the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants against him and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, as well as one of the leaders of Hamas, for alleged war crimes committed in the conflict.
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