Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's request for a pre-conviction pardon in his long-running corruption trial is being widely condemned as an unprecedented move that threatens the rule of law and places the Israeli leader above the very justice system he is sworn to uphold.
Netanyahu's pardon request, described as "extraordinary" by the president's office, argues that the ongoing trial is divisive and hinders his ability to govern . He maintains his innocence and claims an acquittal is certain, yet seeks an immediate end to the proceedings for the sake of "national reconciliation". Legal experts and institutions have sharply criticized this logic. The Israel Democracy Institute stated that a pardon before a verdict is "extremely rare" and "threatens the rule of law" by undermining the principle of equality before it. Former Justice Ministry director-general Emi Palmor clarified that a pardon cannot stop a trial, and the only legal way to end the proceedings would be through the attorney general.
The move has ignited a political firestorm, with opponents accusing Netanyahu of seeking special treatment. Opposition leader Yair Lapid stated that a pardon should not be granted "without an admission of guilt, an expression of remorse and an immediate retirement from political life" . Critics have also highlighted Netanyahu's stark hypocrisy; in 2008, he called on then-Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to resign over a corruption scandal, stating a leader "up to his neck" in investigations had no mandate to govern . The public backlash was visible in a protest outside President Herzog's residence, where demonstrators left a pile of bananas with a sign warning that a pardon equates to a "banana republic" .
The international dimension of the case grew when U.S. President Donald Trump publicly urged Israel to pardon Netanyahu, calling the case a "political, unjustified prosecution" . Netanyahu referenced Trump's request in his own statement . Throughout his trial, Netanyahu has portrayed himself as the victim of a "deep state" conspiracy and a "witch hunt" orchestrated by the media, police, and judiciary . This narrative was a driving force behind his government's deeply divisive plan to overhaul the Israeli justice system, which sparked massive protests from citizens who saw it as an effort to undermine the country's system of checks and balances for his personal benefit .
Netanyahu is the first sitting prime minister in Israel's history to stand trial . His trial, which began in May 2020, concerns charges of fraud, breach of trust, and accepting bribes in three separate cases . These cases accuse him of granting regulatory favors to wealthy media and telecom moguls in exchange for expensive gifts and positive press coverage . The proceedings have faced years of delays, initially due to political crises and more recently because of the war in Gaza . Some critics, including parents of hostages held in Gaza, have accused Netanyahu of drawing out the war as part of his efforts to remain in office and delay his legal reckoning .