NEW YORK, December 1. /TASS/. The potential pardon of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the corruption cases against him could undermine the fundamental tenets of the rule of law in the country, The Israel Democracy Institute President Yohanan Plesner told AP.
"He (Netanyahu - TASS) basically says: ‘I’m completely innocent, I’m sure that I can prove this innocence, but not for my own interest, for the country’s interest I’m requesting this pardon. So there is no assumption of responsibility whatsoever, and this might project a problematic message to all public figures and to what our public norms might look like," Plesner said.
The news agency pointed out that, according to the institute, a pardon before sentencing would be an extraordinary step for the Israeli legal system. Such a decision could negatively impact Israelis' confidence in the justice system.
Earlier, opposition leader Yair Lapid said that Netanyahu cannot be granted a pardon "without an admission of guilt, an expression of remorse, and an immediate retirement from political life."
On November 30, Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that he had submitted a request for clemency to President Isaac Herzog regarding corruption charges, in an effort to strengthen national unity and protect the interests of the state. He also said that he considers the recent court requirement to appear for hearings three times a week to give testimony to be unenforceable. The request will be forwarded to the Israeli Justice Ministry for consideration. Afterward, it will be returned to Herzog's office, which will make the final decision, taking into account the opinions of relevant Justice Ministry officials. In October, US President Donald Trump also appealed to Herzog to pardon Netanyahu while speaking in the Israeli parliament.
Prime minister’s trial
Netanyahu is charged with three counts of corruption: receiving illegal gifts worth over 700,000 shekels ($213,000), including cigars and champagne. He is also accused of fraudulently regulating the media in exchange for favorable coverage of his activities, and of bribery for promoting projects in the interests of friends. The trial in the Tel Aviv and Jerusalem courts began in 2020, and Netanyahu has repeatedly denied his guilt.
In December 2024, the prime minister began testifying in court, but the hearings have since been repeatedly interrupted, canceled, or postponed for various reasons. Notably, in mid-July, Netanyahu abruptly ended his testimony, citing urgent security concerns related to the escalating situation in Syria. The hearings were scheduled to resume a week later, but the prime minister failed to appear, citing food poisoning. The court then went on summer recess, postponing the continuation of the testimony until September.
In September, he requested that the hearings involving him be postponed again, announcing the start of a new large-scale Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip directly from the court building. In October, Netanyahu requested that the hearings be shortened, again citing poor health as the reason: bronchitis this time.