Name: Netanyahu asks to be pardoned on corruption charges | DW News
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asked the president to pardon him from corruption charges.

The request sparked protests outside President Isaac Herzog's home in Tel Aviv.

The opposition has warned that a pardon would weaken democratic institutions and create a dangerous precedent.

Netanyahu has been charged with fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in three separate cases.

He denies the allegations, which he describes as a witch hunt.

Netanyahu is the only sitting prime minister in Israel's history to stand trial.

DW's Emily Gordin joins us from Jerusalem.

Emily, what are the chances that President Herzog will grant Netanyahu a presidential pardon in these corruption cases?

Legal experts in Israel certainly say that he simply cannot, from a legal point of view, granted Netanyahu a pardon if there has not been any admission of guilt.

And in a video message, Netanyahu publicly didn't admit any guilt.

He published this video message following his request for a pardon.

He didn't also didn't show any sign of remorse.

Instead, he maintained that he disputed the charges first and foremost.

And he also argued that this whole trial, these charges are fundamentally illegitimate.

Now, Netanyahu essentially framed his pardon, as you know, as something that is in the good, as good for the country as a way to mend the rifts in Israeli society that is admittedly very polarized.

But you could argue that pardoning him could have the opposite effect.

We saw people protesting outside the president's home in Tel Aviv following this request for a plea, with many saying that Netanyahu does not stand above the law.

Now, President Isaac Herzog is now seeking legal counsel on this request for pardon.

There is some speculation that he could issue a conditional pardon that means pardoning Netanyahu, but

he would then have to, for example, step down from the political sphere.

But again, he is seeking legal counsel on this now, and

it can take it will take a few weeks until we hear an official response to this request.

Emily, can you remind us, give us some background on these corruption charges hanging over Netanyahu.

Well, Netanyahu was indicted in 2019 on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust in three separate cases that are, however, somewhat interlinked.

Now, the trial began in 2012 and it centered on centers because it's still ongoing on accusations that Netanyahu essentially granted favors to business tycoons in Israel in exchange for gifts and favorable media coverage for himself and for his family.

Now, Netanyahu himself has always denied any wrongdoing.

He's framed this trial as essentially a witch hunt.

This trial has polarized many Israeli society as a whole in the sense that many ask the question of a sitting prime minister could or should remain in power if he faces corruption allegations.

US President Trump recently requested himself a full pardon for Netanyahu.

Trump first raised the issue of a pardon during his visit in October when he gave speech to the Knesset and where he directly addressed President Isaac Herzog.

He then followed up with a letter two weeks ago formally asking the prime Minister to pardon Netanyahu.

Just like Trump, I think you can say that Netanyahu has also framed his legal troubles as a way of the so called liberal deep state to oust him from office.

So in many ways Israeli see this as, you know, one friend helping out another.

And it does put pressure on Isaac Herzog.

But at the same time it also increases the perception in Israel that Israel is becoming more and more of a cell state of the Americans.

If Donald Trump is now also starting to meddle with what is essentially domestic politics in Israel, this is not a security matter for the existence of the state of Israel.

And the Americans specifically the US President himself starting to get involved in these affairs is not necessarily seen very favorable by all Israelis.