Overview
- In a speech to Israel’s parliament, the U.S. president praised Benjamin Netanyahu as “a good man” and publicly asked President Isaac Herzog to issue a pardon.
- He dismissed the corruption allegations by remarking about reported gifts of cigars and champagne, asking, “Who the hell cares?”
- Netanyahu is on trial for bribery, fraud and breach of trust tied to alleged favors for telecom firm Bezeq and gifts valued near 700,000 shekels, with the case running for more than five years without a verdict.
- Herzog holds constitutional authority to grant clemency in exceptional circumstances and has said no one is above the law while reserving the option to act according to his conscience.
- The intervention comes as Israel continues to grapple with tensions from the government’s 2022 drive to curb judicial power, which spurred mass protests and concern among Western allies.