Israeli President Herzog Maintains Independence Despite Trump’s Netanyahu Pardon Criticism

President Isaac Herzog of Israel has asserted his independence in reviewing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s pardon request, issuing a statement Thursday that directly addressed Donald Trump’s characterization of his deliberative approach as disgraceful and shameful.
The presidential office provided a transparent explanation of the review process currently underway, noting that the Ministry of Justice is conducting its legal analysis in accordance with standard governmental procedures. Herzog’s statement emphasized that no decision has been made on the pardon request and clarified that any future determination would be based exclusively on legal considerations and Israeli law, without yielding to political pressure from any source.
Trump’s pointed criticism came during a White House press conference held while Netanyahu was visiting Washington for high-level diplomatic talks. The former president suggested that Herzog deserved public condemnation from Israeli citizens and should be ashamed of himself for not immediately approving the pardon that Trump had personally requested during an October speech to Israel’s parliament. The comments marked an unusual level of direct intervention in another sovereign nation’s legal processes.
Netanyahu’s legal challenges encompass three active corruption cases involving different alleged schemes. In two instances, prosecutors claim Netanyahu arranged quid pro quo deals with major Israeli media outlets, using his governmental authority to secure favorable news coverage in exchange for regulatory benefits. The most serious charges involve accusations that Netanyahu accepted luxury gifts worth over $260,000 from billionaire supporters, including expensive cigars, champagne, and other high-end items, allegedly in return for political favors.
The historical nature of Netanyahu’s situation has made his trials a focal point of Israeli political discourse since they began in 2019. As the first incumbent prime minister to face criminal prosecution, Netanyahu has become a deeply polarizing figure, with supporters viewing the cases as politically motivated and critics seeing them as necessary accountability. Netanyahu has consistently denied all wrongdoing, framing the proceedings as a “political trial” orchestrated by his opponents. Following Trump’s October address to the Knesset, where he first publicly called for a pardon, Netanyahu’s attorneys formally submitted their clemency petition to Herzog’s office.