Overview
- Netanyahu said he would not leave political life in exchange for a pardon when asked at a joint press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
- President Isaac Herzog confirmed receipt of the 111-page application, described it as extraordinary, and said he will weigh it solely by Israel’s national interest.
- Herzog noted he respects President Trump’s opinion after Trump urged clemency, yet emphasized that Israel is a sovereign country that follows its legal process.
- Israel has no precedent for a presidential pardon issued mid-trial, and the Justice Ministry review and the president’s legal adviser’s input do not pause court proceedings.
- Opposition figures and hundreds of retired senior police officers have urged Herzog to reject a pardon without an admission of guilt, and polling shows a majority opposing such a move.