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WITH TRUMP SUPPORT, NETANYAHU REQUESTS PARDON FOR CORRUPTION CHARGES
 
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Julia Conley
November 30, 2025
Common Dreams [[link removed]]

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_ “There is no such thing as a pardon request without an admission
of guilt and without resignation,” said one journalist. “This is a
demand for the surrender of the rule of law in Israel.” _

US President Donald Trump speaks to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu at Ben Gurion International Airport before boarding his
plane to Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt on October 13, 2025 in Tel Aviv,
Israel. , Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

 

Weeks after President Donald Trump
[[link removed]] called
[[link removed]] for a
pardon for his ally, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
[[link removed]], the Israeli
leader himself issued
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a formal plea to President Isaac Herzog and addressed the
nation—claiming a pardon for allegations of bribery, fraud, and
breach of trust, which he’s been on trial for since 2020, would be
in the country’s best interest.

Netanyahu was indicted in 2019 in three separate corruption
[[link removed]] cases regarding
allegations
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that he took more than $200,000 from wealthy businessmen in exchange
for positive media [[link removed]] coverage
for himself and his family. He has denied wrongdoing in the cases.

The prime minister has also been accused
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the International Criminal Court
[[link removed]] of war
crimes [[link removed]] and crimes
against humanity in Gaza [[link removed]],
where Israel [[link removed]] has killed more
than 70,000 Palestinians
[[link removed]] since October 2023,
with the slaughter of civilians continuing despite a ceasefire deal
that was reached in October. A _New York Times_
[[link removed]] report in July
described
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how Netanyahu prolonged the war to maintain his political power.
Netanyahu’s government also sought to fire
[[link removed]] the Israeli
attorney general, who is prosecuting the prime minister’s case.

In his letter to Herzog, whose role is largely ceremonial but who has
the authority to pardon convicted criminals, Netanyahu requested the
pardon so that he can “devote his full time, abilities, and
strengths to advance Israel in these critical times.”

“The continuation of the trial tears us apart from within, stirs up
this division, and deepens rifts,” he added in his video address.
“I am sure, like many others in the nation, that an immediate
conclusion of the trial would greatly help to lower the flames and
promote the broad reconciliation that our country so desperately
needs.”

The request made clear that he has no intention of admitting
wrongdoing or resigning from office—which critics including Israeli
opposition leader Yair Lapid said
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must be a condition for any pardon.

“You cannot grant him a pardon without an admission of guilt, an
expression of remorse, and an immediate retirement from political
life,” said Lapid.

Israeli journalist Anshel Pfeffer, who authored a biography of
Netanyahu, said the prime minister was “demanding immunity from
prosecution” rather than asking for a pardon for a crime he’s
convicted of.

 

Bottom line - Netanyahu is asking for a pardon while saying that
he’s done nothing which needs pardoning and that he’s not going to
resign. He’s not asking for a pardon. He’s demanding immunity from
prosecutionNow it’s up to Herzog and if he relents, then the Supreme
Court [link removed]

— Anshel Pfeffer אנשיל פפר (@AnshelPfeffer) November 30,
2025
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“There is no such thing as a pardon request without an admission of
guilt and without resignation,” said
[[link removed]] Pfeffer.
“This is not a pardon request. This is a demand for the surrender of
the rule of law [[link removed]] in
Israel.”

In the video address Netanyahu released, he suggested
[[link removed]] a pardon
would be for the good of the nation and claimed that his “personal
interest remains to continue the trial until the end.”

He also referenced
[[link removed]] Trump’s
letter to Herzog, in which the president claimed he respected “the
independence of the Israeli Justice System” but called the
corruption cases a “political, unjustified prosecution.”

Herzog said Sunday that he would seek expert opinions on the request
and would “responsibly and sincerely consider” a pardon, noting
that it would have “significant implications.”

Emi Palmor, former director general of Israel’s Justice Ministry,
told
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_Al Jazeera_ that it is “impossible” for Netanyahu to halt his
trial with a pardon request.

“You cannot claim that you’re innocent while the trial is going on
and come to the president and ask him to intervene,” said Palmor.

In the US, Rep. Mark Pocan
[[link removed]] (D-Wisc.) said
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Herzog grant Netanyahu’s request, “it will be hard to consider a
law-abiding nation.”

“It would be a huge mistake,” said Pocan. “Real nations follow
laws.”

_JULIA CONLEY is a staff writer for Common Dreams._

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* Benjamin Netanyahu
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* Donald Trump
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* pardon
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* corruption
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* Israel
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