Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has formally apologized to President Isaac Herzog for the corruption cases against him. According to the President’s office, Netanyahu’s lawyer, Amit Hadad, submitted the 111-page application. In Israel, the President has the authority to pardon those convicted by a court. Pardons can be granted even before the legal process is complete in cases involving public interest. Last week, US President Donald Trump also wrote to Herzog, urging Netanyahu to seek pardon. Previously, Trump stated that if Netanyahu is convicted, he would not tolerate it. Three separate cases have been filed against Netanyahu. This trial against Netanyahu began in May 2020. He is facing trial in Israel on three separate charges of fraud, breach of trust, and bribery. 1. Case 1000 (Gift Case): Netanyahu is accused of accepting expensive gifts from Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan and Australian billionaire James Packer. These include cigars, champagne, and jewelry worth $200,000. It is alleged that Netanyahu provided political favors in exchange for this. 2. Case 2000 (Media Deal Case): Netanyahu is accused of striking a deal with the publisher of the Yediot Ahronoth newspaper for positive coverage. In exchange, he agreed to pass legislation weakening the rival newspaper Israel Hayom. 3. Case 4000 (Bezek Telecom Case): In this case, Netanyahu is accused of favoring the Bezek telecom company in exchange for favorable news published on owner Shaul Elovitch’s news portal, Valla. Netanyahu has dismissed all these allegations as false and politically motivated. A verdict in this case is not expected until at least 2026. Netanyahu can then appeal to the Supreme Court. Trump, who has called the case against Netanyahu a political conspiracy, posted a message in support of Netanyahu on June 28th on social media. In this post, he criticized the ongoing corruption case against Netanyahu, calling it a political conspiracy. In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “What is happening to Netanyahu in Israel is absolutely wrong. He is a war hero and, together with the United States, has done a tremendous job in stopping Iran’s dangerous nuclear program.” Trump further stated, “This is madness and a travesty of justice. The United States spends billions of dollars every year aiding Israel. We will not tolerate this. Netanyahu must be released from this case; he has bigger things to do.” Netanyahu is also charged with the International Criminal Court. In addition to domestic cases, the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague has issued an arrest warrant against Netanyahu on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. He is accused of targeting civilians in Gaza and using hunger as a tactic. While this case is separate from the corruption cases, it has also impacted Netanyahu’s image internationally.
