Netanyahu submits request for a pardon during his ongoing corruption trial : NPR
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses lawmakers in the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, in Jerusalem, Monday, November 10, 2025.
Ohad Zwigenberg/AP
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Ohad Zwigenberg/AP
TEL AVIV (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asked Israel’s president to grant him a pardon during his lengthy corruption trial that has bitterly divided the country.
In a statement Sunday, the prime minister’s office said Netanyahu had submitted a pardon request to the legal department of the president’s office. The president’s office called it an “extraordinary request” with “significant implications.”
Netanyahu is the only sitting prime minister in Israeli history to face trial, having been charged with fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in three separate cases, accusing him of trading favors with wealthy political supporters. He hasn’t been found guilty of anything yet.
The request comes weeks after US President Donald Trump urged Israel to pardon Netanyahu.
In a videotaped statement, Netanyahu said the trial had divided the country and that a pardon would help restore national unity. He also said that having to appear in court three times a week is a distraction that makes it difficult for him to lead the country.
Netanyahu’s request consisted of two documents: a detailed letter signed by his lawyer and a letter signed by Netanyahu. They will be sent to the Ministry of Justice for advice and will then be transferred to the legal adviser to the presidency, who will formulate additional opinions for the president.
