Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is on trial facing corruption charges, announced on Sunday that he had submitted a presidential pardon request—saying that the long-running cases were tearing the country apart.
The Israeli leader said he had wanted to see the legal process through to an acquittal, but
the security and political reality—the national interest—dictate otherwise.
The prime minister and his wife, Sara, are accused in one case of accepting more than $260,000 worth of luxury goods—including cigars, jewellery and champagne—from billionaires, in exchange for political favours. He is also accused in two additional cases of seeking more favourable coverage from Israeli media outlets.
The PM’s request for a pardon is not an admission of guilt, but a necessary step under Israeli law in the process of requesting a pardon. Netanyahu maintains his innocence, while arguing that an immediate end to the trial would
greatly help to lower the flames and promote the broad reconciliation that Israel desperately needs.
Moreover, according to Netanyahu
The case against me is collapsing in court, and the evidence is continually being proven to have been based on lies and procedural errors. Personally, I would prefer to see the case through until I am completely vindicated—but Israel’s national interests mandate a different course of action, and so I have asked for a pardon to end the case and allow me to focus on our security needs.
President Isaac Herzog’s office previously received, but did not act upon, a request to pardon Netanyahu submitted by his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump.
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