Israeli President Isaac Herzog has refused to bow to pressure from Donald Trump regarding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s pardon request, issuing a firm statement Thursday that emphasized his commitment to following established legal procedures despite Trump’s characterization of his approach as disgraceful.
Herzog’s office provided comprehensive details about the ongoing review process, noting that the Ministry of Justice is currently conducting a thorough legal analysis of the pardon application in accordance with standard governmental protocols. The presidential statement made clear that Herzog has not reached any decision on the matter and will only do so after receiving a complete legal opinion, basing his determination strictly on Israeli law without regard to external political influence.
The diplomatic controversy intensified when Trump, speaking at a White House press conference during Netanyahu’s Washington visit for bilateral talks, launched an unprecedented personal attack on Herzog. The former American president declared that Herzog “should be ashamed of himself” for not immediately granting the pardon and went further to suggest that ordinary Israeli citizens should publicly shame their president for his handling of the request. Trump’s remarks represented a dramatic escalation in what has become a complex international political dispute.
Netanyahu currently faces serious criminal allegations across three active corruption cases that have captivated Israeli public attention. Two of these prosecutions involve accusations that Netanyahu engaged in elaborate schemes with major Israeli media organizations, allegedly trading government regulatory decisions and policy benefits for favorable news coverage of himself and his administration. The third and perhaps most damning case centers on claims that Netanyahu accepted more than $260,000 worth of luxury gifts from billionaire associates, including expensive cigars, premium champagne, designer jewelry, and other high-end items, allegedly in exchange for political favors that directly benefited these wealthy benefactors.
The embattled prime minister holds the dubious distinction of being Israel’s first sitting head of government to face criminal prosecution in court. Since the legal proceedings commenced in 2019, Netanyahu has mounted a vigorous defense, consistently characterizing all three cases as a coordinated “political trial” orchestrated by his political opponents and the Israeli legal establishment to undermine his leadership and force him from office. Despite maintaining his complete innocence throughout all proceedings, Netanyahu continues to face three active prosecutions after prosecutors previously dismissed a fourth corruption charge. The current international controversy over a potential presidential pardon began when Trump delivered an address to the Israeli parliament in October, during which he publicly and directly urged Herzog to grant clemency to Netanyahu, which subsequently prompted Netanyahu’s legal team to formally submit an official pardon request to the presidential office.
Israeli President Herzog Refuses to Bow to Trump Pressure on Netanyahu Pardon Request
