By: The Trek News Desk
Public anger is intensifying across Israel after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu formally requested a full presidential pardon in the corruption cases pending against him. On Sunday night, hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside President Isaac Herzog’s private residence in Tel Aviv, urging him to dismiss the request without hesitation.
Carrying banners that read “Pardon = Banana Republic,” protesters staged a symbolic demonstration, some donning orange prison-style jumpsuits resembling Netanyahu, while others stood beside heaps of bananas to mock the pardon plea.
“He wants the trial erased without accountability”
Prominent anti-government activist Shikma Bressler said Netanyahu was attempting to shut down the entire trial “without taking responsibility or paying the price for dividing the nation.”
According to her, Israelis fully understand that the country’s democratic future is at stake.
A Five-Year Trial and Multiple Charges
The 76-year-old leader has been on trial for five years across three separate cases involving bribery, fraud, and breach of trust.
One case accuses Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, of accepting more than $260,000 in luxury gifts, cigars, jewellery, and champagne from billionaires in exchange for political favours.
In two additional cases, he is accused of negotiating favourable media coverage.
Netanyahu denies all charges. His legal team submitted a 111-page document to the President’s Office asserting he still believes he will be acquitted.
Yet in a video statement, Netanyahu claimed that ongoing political and security concerns no longer allow for the trial to continue.
Herzog’s Office: “An Extraordinary Request”
President Herzog’s office confirmed receipt of the pardon plea, calling it “an extraordinary request with serious implications.”
Officials said the president will review all legal opinions before making a decision.
ICC Pressure Mounts Alongside Domestic Cases
Beyond Israel’s judicial system, Netanyahu also faces international scrutiny.
In November 2024, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants against him for war crimes and crimes against humanity related to Israel’s military operations in Gaza.
According to available figures, Israel’s offensive has resulted in over 70,000 deaths, mostly women and children, and has injured more than 171,000 people.
Support From the United States
A few weeks earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump publicly urged Israel’s leadership to pardon Netanyahu.
Trump also sent a letter to President Herzog, calling the corruption proceedings “a political and unjustified prosecution.”
Opposition Outrage: “Pardon Only After Guilt Is Admitted”
In Israel, presidential pardons are usually granted only after the legal process is completed and the defendant is convicted.
Netanyahu’s pre-emptive request triggered immediate backlash.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid insisted no pardon should be granted unless Netanyahu admits guilt, expresses remorse, and retires from political life.
Former Deputy Chief of Staff and opposition politician Yair Golan added, “Only the guilty ask for a pardon,” demanding Netanyahu’s resignation.
The Movement for Quality Government in Israel warned that pardoning a prime minister facing serious charges would signal that some individuals stand above the law.
“A Threat to Israeli Democracy” – Experts Warn
Outside the president’s residence, protester Ami Dror said it was the president’s duty to shield Israel’s democratic institutions from erosion.
However, several coalition members, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, backed Netanyahu’s request, claiming he had been targeted by a biased judiciary for years.
Analysts argue that Netanyahu’s long-running clashes with Israel’s courts and now his indictment by international bodies pose a serious threat to Israel’s democratic stability.
Source: News Agencies
