Israeli President Isaac Herzog received a letter from President Donald Trump, urging him to consider granting a pardon to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli president’s office said on Wednesday.
Netanyahu has been facing a long-running corruption trial, and Trump has repeatedly asked for a pardon for his close ally. Netanyahu denies the charges and has pleaded not guilty.
“While I absolutely respect the independence of the Israeli Justice System, and its requirements, I believe that this ‘case’ against Bibi, who has fought alongside me for a long time, including against the very tough adversary of Israel, Iran, is a political, unjustified prosecution,” Trump said in the letter shared by Herzog’s office.
The office said that anyone seeking a presidential pardon must submit a formal request in accordance with the established procedures.
Trump previously urged Herzog to pardon Netanyahu during an address to the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem last month.
During a more than one-hour speech, Trump said:
“Hey, I have an idea. Mr. President, why don’t you give him a pardon? Cigars and some champagne — who the hell cares?” referring to the fraud, bribery and breach of trust charges, which Netanyahu denies.
Netanyahu was indicted in 2019 in three cases, one of which includes receiving almost 700,000 shekels ($210,000) in gifts from businessmen, including champagne and cigars.
Israel’s president holds a largely ceremonial role but he does have authority to pardon convicted criminal if there are unusual circumstances presented.
However, there has been no ruling in Netanyahu’s long-running trial which began in 2020 and has been interrupted frequently during two years of war and Middle East upheaval. He has pleaded not guilty and denied any wrongdoing.
Trump in June called for Netanyahu’s trial to be cancelled. Netanyahu has cast his legal ordeal as a left-wing witch-hunt aimed at toppling an elected right-wing leader.
