Khaberni - Israeli President Isaac Herzog, on Sunday, refused to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, conditioning the step on the latter's acknowledgment of guilt, according to Israeli media.
President Herzog's stance came in response to reports published by the "New York Times" on Sunday, revealing the "withholding of pardon for Benjamin Netanyahu".
"Channel 14" described the decision as a "political and legal drama", noting a statement from the Presidential Office on Sunday that "President Herzog has decided not to grant pardon to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at this stage, and instead is actively leading a deal that requires Netanyahu to admit guilt before a pardon is granted".
According to the Israeli Presidential Office statement, Herzog believes that "reaching a mutually agreed solution is the most appropriate way to end this legal issue that has lasted nearly 6 years".
The statement also mentioned that "President Herzog sees that reaching an agreement between the parties in the cases of Prime Minister Netanyahu is the optimal and correct solution, especially since negotiations to reach an agreement are an integral part of the efforts made to encourage the parties to come to an agreement", according to the statement.
Harzog's office clarified that "the pardon process for Netanyahu is not currently on the agenda as an initial step from the president's perspective".
Herzog's office stated: "The president believes that it is appropriate, before discussing the pardon request itself, to exhaust all measures that may lead to an agreement between the parties, outside the court walls".
Herzog’s decision comes amid severe and conflicting pressures. On one hand, the U.S. President has publicly and explicitly pressured Herzog, demanding an immediate pardon for Netanyahu, while Ministry of Justice officials on the other hand, based on legal opinion, stated that "a pardon cannot be granted to Netanyahu without an acknowledgment of guilt, or a final conviction", a condition utterly rejected by the Israeli Prime Minister, according to "Channel 14".
The channel anticipated the reaction of the American President to the Israeli President's position, noting that "Trump will definitively not agree with Herzog's decision".
It pointed out that Trump harshly criticized the Israeli President in interviews he conducted with "I 24" channel, claiming that Herzog "lied to him", having repeatedly promised to grant Netanyahu a pardon.
Trump made a series of statements against Herzog, including calling him "a weak and pathetic man", "a disgrace", and others, according to Israeli media.
Trump also claimed that Herzog "is exploiting the pardon power and using it against Netanyahu".
Trump also believes that Herzog should grant Netanyahu a pardon so that the latter can focus on the war with Iran and other fronts, instead of "trivialities", as he put it.
Netanyahu, accused of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust, claims that he is the victim of a "persecution campaign" by what he describes as the "deep state".
So far, the Prime Minister has shown no willingness to acknowledge wrongdoing or retire from political life, and he appears to be energetically campaigning for the upcoming elections.
Netanyahu’s trial has lasted nearly 6 years, focusing on three cases involving allegations of favoring businessmen in exchange for positive media coverage and gifts.
Last November, Netanyahu formally submitted an initial request for a pardon, claiming that canceling the trial would help to heal the rift within Israeli society and allow him to focus on state affairs, according to his statement.
