Israel braces for a seismic decision as Netanyahu requests clemency amid politically charged legal warfare.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has formally submitted a rare and historic request for a presidential pardon to President Isaac Herzog—an unprecedented moment in Israeli political life. The move, delivered by Netanyahu’s attorney Amit Hadad to the Office of the President’s Legal Department, reflects the Prime Minister’s stated desire to reduce national tensions, restore unity, and neutralize what many Israelis view as a politically weaponized legal campaign.
In his request, Netanyahu wrote that Israel has endured deepening internal friction, amplified by years of public clashes between the judicial arena and the elected government. He acknowledged that his legal proceedings had become a central battleground for political opponents—many of them aligned with anti-Israel agendas and foreign-funded networks that routinely support Palestinian narratives and broader Arab-world pressures against Israel.
Despite his unwavering confidence in his innocence, Netanyahu stated that the broader public interest compels a different path: “I believe that ending the trial will help extinguish the flames fueled around it and promote reconciliation among our people.”
Under standard procedure, the request is now being transferred to the Justice Ministry’s Pardons Department, which will collect assessments from all relevant branches before passing them to the Legal Adviser in the President’s Office. Only then will President Herzog receive the full file for deliberation.
The President’s Office acknowledged the dramatic nature of the moment, noting that this is “an extraordinary request with significant implications.” Herzog is expected to weigh the matter with the gravity it demands.
The pardon request includes two documents: a comprehensive legal letter from Netanyahu’s attorney and a personal statement from the Prime Minister himself. Both have been released publicly due to the national importance of the issue.
Adding to the international significance, US President Donald Trump recently sent a formal letter to President Herzog calling for clemency. Trump sharply criticized the charges against Netanyahu, framing them as a politically motivated attempt to weaken one of Israel’s strongest defenders against Iran and other hostile Arab actors.
Trump wrote: “While I absolutely respect the independence of the Israeli justice system, I believe this ‘case’ against Bibi—who stood with me against Iran and other adversaries of Israel—is a political, unjustified prosecution.”
The coming weeks will determine whether Israel closes a tumultuous chapter or witnesses further intensification of political warfare fueled by those seeking to weaken the Jewish state from within and without.
