Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has formally asked President Isaac Herzog for a presidential pardon, the President’s Residence confirmed.
The request, delivered by Netanyahu’s lawyer Amit Haddad, includes a detailed 111-page application and a personal letter from the prime minister. Herzog’s office also released the full document to the public.
According to the statement, the Ministry of Justice’s Pardons Department will now review the application and seek input from all relevant authorities before forwarding recommendations to the president’s legal adviser.
Describing the appeal as “extraordinary” and one with “significant implications,” Herzog’s office said the president will carefully consider the request once all opinions are received.
Under Israeli law, the president can grant pardons to convicted individuals — and in exceptional cases, even before a trial concludes — if it serves the public interest.
Netanyahu is currently standing trial on corruption charges, including one count of bribery and three counts each of fraud and breach of trust across multiple cases. The trial, which began in 2020, is ongoing.
Earlier in the month, Netanyahu insisted he would not seek a pardon if it required admitting guilt. Meanwhile, former U.S. President Donald Trump has written to Herzog urging him to grant the Israeli leader a pardon.
Herzog has not announced when a decision will be made.
