WORLD NEWS: Netanyahu formally requests pardon from Israel’s president, unprecedented move

On Sunday, Netanyahu formally requested a pardon from Isaac Herzog, the President of Israel, asking him to terminate the ongoing corruption trial against him — which includes charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust. His lawyers submitted a 111-page application, arguing that the legal proceedings are undermining his ability to govern, fueling national division, and hampering Israel’s stability — i.e., he framed the pardon request as being in the “public interest.”

Netanyahu and his team insist he remains innocent and that the trial is politically motivated, a characterization he has used since the initial indictments. In a brief video statement, he said the frequent court appearances — three times a week, he claimed — make it “impossible” to fulfill his duties as prime minister.

The request is extraordinary, because in Israel pardons have seldom been sought mid-trial. The president’s office has confirmed receipt of the plea; the case will now go through the usual process, involving review by the justice ministry and legal advisers before a final decision.