Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Trump urges Israeli President to pardon Netanyahu over corruption trial
Israeli President Isaac Herzog has received a formal letter from former U.S. President Donald Trump, urging him to grant a pardon to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is currently standing trial on corruption charges.
Herzog’s office confirmed receipt of the letter on Wednesday, noting that Trump appealed for leniency toward his long-time ally, describing the prosecution as “politically motivated.”
“While I absolutely respect the independence of the Israeli justice system and its procedures, I believe that this case against Bibi—who has stood with me for many years, including in the fight against Israel’s tough adversary, Iran—is a political, unjustified prosecution,” Trump wrote in the letter released by the Israeli presidency.
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The presidency, however, clarified that requests for pardon must be made through official legal procedures, stressing that the judicial process must take its course.
Trump had earlier voiced similar sentiments during his October visit to Israel, where he addressed the Knesset (Israeli parliament) and publicly called for Netanyahu’s exoneration.
Netanyahu, indicted in 2019 on three separate corruption cases, is accused of accepting gifts worth about 700,000 shekels ($211,832) from wealthy businessmen and of trading political favours for positive media coverage. He has denied all allegations, insisting that the charges are part of a “left-wing witch-hunt” to oust him from power.
While the Israeli presidency is largely ceremonial, Herzog holds the constitutional authority to issue pardons in rare or exceptional circumstances.
Netanyahu’s trial, which began in 2020, is still ongoing, with no conviction reached yet.
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