Why Netanyahu wants presidential pardon for graft charges he denied, and what happens now

In a video-recorded statement, Netanyahu said, “The continuation of the trial tears us apart from within, stirs up this division, and deepens rifts. 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.”

He also claimed that the requirement that he appear in court three times a week interferes with his job of running the country.

What is Netanyahu accused of, and what happens now? What is the role of US President Donald Trump in all this? We explain.

Charges against Netanyahu

The most serious accusation is that Netanyahu helped a telecom company, Bezeq, with regulations, in return for a news website owned by Bezeq giving him favourable coverage.

The second is that he accepted expensive gifts — nearly $200,000 worth of cigars, champagne, jewellery, etc. — from Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan and Australian billionaire James Packer. In return, for Milchan, Netanyahu “lobbied on US visa matters, tried to legislate a generous tax break for him and sought to promote his interests in the Israeli media market,” AP reported. Packer reportedly wanted Israeli residency status for tax purposes.

The third case has to do with Netanyahu offering to bring in a legislation that would weaken a newspaper publisher’s main rival, in return for that publisher giving the PM favourable headlines.

What happens now that Netanyahu has asked for pardon?

Along with Netanyahu’s letter to President Isaac Herzog, his lawyer has sent another detailed letter. These will be sent to the country’s Justice Ministry for opinions and then to the Legal Advisor in the Office of the President, which will formulate additional opinions for the president, AP reported.

Netanyahu’s request is unprecedented. Legal experts in his country have pointed out that if the pardon is granted while a trial is still underway, and Netanyahu continues with business as usual, it would effectively put him above the law.

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

What is the Trump angle?

Earlier in November, Trump had written to Isaac Herzog, asking him to pardon Netanyahu to protect him from “political, unjustified prosecution.”

“As the Great State of Israel and the amazing Jewish People move past the terribly difficult times of the last three years, I hereby call on you to fully pardon Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been a formidable and decisive War Time Prime Minister, and is now leading Israel into a time of peace,” Trump wrote.

In October, Trump had addressed the Israeli Parliament, where he had said similar things.

If Herzog does pardon Netanyahu now, it will raise questions about US involvement in Israel’s internal matters.

Before the October 2023 Hamas attack dramatically altered matters, Netanyahu was facing unprecedented protests within Israel over his alleged corruption and overreach of powers. The PM is a polarising figure, and he and his wife Sara have long faced allegations of enjoying a plush lifestyle at the public’s expense. In fact, months before the Hamas attack, protests against Netanyahu’s proposed judicial ‘reforms’ had been raging in the country. Some believe the internal divisions in Israel were one of the reasons that prompted the October 7, 2023 attack.

With AP inputs