Trump Letter Urges Israeli President to Pardon PM Netanyahu

Israel’s president Isaac Herzog received a letter from President Donald Trump formally urging him to “absolutely apologize” to Prime Minister Netanyahu.

Netanyahu has been on trial for the past five years on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust in connection with three separate cases. He denies any wrongdoing.

In the letter, Trump wrote that he “absolutely” respects the independence of the Israeli justice system, but that he believes Netanyahu is facing “a politically unfair, politically unfair, unjustified, unjustified, unjustified prosecution”.

Herzog’s office said he held Trump “in the highest regard”, but that anyone seeking a pardon would have to submit a formal request.

There was no immediate comment from Netanyahu, but he has yet to thank Trump for similar calls he has made in speeches and on social media.

In 2020, Netanyahu became the first serving Prime Minister of Israel to stand trial.

In the first case, prosecutors alleged that he received gifts – mainly cigars and bottles of champagne – from powerful businessmen in exchange for favors.

He was accused in a second case of offering to help increase the circulation of an Israeli newspaper in exchange for positive coverage.

And thirdly, prosecutors said he promoted regulatory decisions in favor of the controlled company on an Israeli telecoms website.

Netanyahu has pleaded not guilty to all charges and branded the trial a “witch-hunt” of political opponents.

Last month, after helping to broker a two-year cease-fire with Hamas in Gaza, Trump must have let go of his surprise at such a speech in a speech to Israel.

“Cigars and champagne, who the hell cares about that?” he asked.

In his letter to the President, Trump wrote: “As the famous situation of Israel and the amazing people in difficult times at the end of three years, that it is a terrible Prime Minister of Three Three, and now that is targeting Israel in full Prime Minister, and now that is targeting Israel in full seizure of Prime Minister in Three Three, and now that is calling Israel in full stop the Prime Minister of the Three Three, and now calling Israel in full recognition of Netjamin Minister, and now targeting Israel in full recognition of Netjamin Minister, and now calling Israel in full urging you in full time of the Prime Minister of Illness

He added: “While I respect the independence of the Israeli justice system, and its requirements, I believe this is a ‘case’ against Bibi [Netanyahu]who fought with me for a long time, including Israel’s worst enemy, Iran, a political, unjustified prosecution. “

The response from Herzog’s office was diplomatic, saying that “President Trump holds the highest respect and continues to express his deep gratitude for President Trump’s unwavering support of Israel”.

It also respectfully points out that “anyone seeking a presidential pardon must submit a formal request in accordance with established procedures”.

According to Israel’s Basic Law, the President “has the power to pardon criminals and reduce or transmute their sentences”.

However, the Supreme Court of Justice previously ruled that the President can pardon an individual before they are convicted, if it is in the public interest or if there are serious personal circumstances.

An apology must also be requested by the accused or a close relative.

There has been no public indication of that so far, although there is speculation in the Israeli media that this could happen.

The right-wing National Security Minister of Israel, Idamar Ben-Gvir, urged Herzog to “Listen to President Trump”, that the account against self-prosecution, whose accusation in court, whose accusations in court every day “.

However, Israel’s opposition leader and former prime minister, Yoir Lapid, wrote in X: “Note: Israeli Law stipulates that accepting guilt is an apology and an expression of remorse.”

He later told the Israeli parliament:

For Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud Party and his supporters, an apology has been long sought since his trial began.

But for many in Israel – especially on the left – it is seen as one that has distanced itself from the sense of itself as a stable democracy with a strong legal system.

Fears that it was attacked by the government’s plans for judicial reforms brought hundreds of thousands to the streets in the attack by Hamas on 7 October 2023 that triggered the Gaza War.