Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared in court on Monday for the first time since formally asking President Isaac Herzog for a pardon in his long-running corruption trial, a move backed by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Opposition politicians have rejected the request, with some insisting any pardon should be conditional on Netanyahu admitting guilt and retiring from politics. Others argued he must first call national elections, due by October 2026, before seeking clemency. Former prime minister Naftali Bennett said he would support ending the trial if Netanyahu agreed to step aside, describing it as a way to โpull Israel out of this chaos.โ Polls suggest Bennett could lead the next government if Netanyahu departed.
Netanyahu, Israelโs longest-serving leader, was indicted in 2019 on charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust after years of investigation. His trial began in 2020. He has consistently denied wrongdoing and made no admission of guilt in his pardon request, with his lawyers arguing that frequent court appearances hinder his ability to govern and that proceedings would ultimately end in acquittal.
Demonstrators gathered outside Mondayโs Tel Aviv hearing, some dressed in orange prison-style jumpsuits, demanding Netanyahu face jail. โIt is unacceptable that he asked for a pardon without pleading guilty or taking responsibility,โ said protester Ilana Barzilay.
Pardons in Israel have traditionally been granted only after conviction, and there is no precedent for issuing one mid-trial. Netanyahuโs allies in his right-wing coalition have backed the request, which came two weeks after Trump urged Herzog to pardon him, calling the case โa political, unjustified prosecution.โ
Netanyahuโs legal troubles have become a central issue in recent elections, with polls indicating his coalitionโthe most right-wing in Israelโs historyโwould struggle to secure enough seats to form the next government.
