US President Donald Trump’s sharp criticism of his Israeli counterpart, Isaac Herzog, sparked political controversy in Israel, due to the issue of the possible pardon of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is accused of corruption.
In statements to reporters at the White House, Trump described Herzog as “disgraceful” and should feel “ashamed of himself,” due to his failure to date to grant a pardon to Netanyahu, considering that the latter “achieved exceptional things during a time of war.”
For its part, the Israeli President’s Office clarified that Herzog has not yet decided on the issue of pardon, contrary to what Trump’s statements indicated. He added that the Ministry of Justice is still studying Netanyahu’s pardon request submitted last November, in accordance with established legal procedures.
The office confirmed that after the end of this examination, “President Herzog will consider the request in accordance with the law and in accordance with the interest of the State of Israel, guided by his conscience and without any internal or external pressure.”
The statement also said that Herzog had “high appreciation” for President Trump for his support of Israel, but at the same time stressed that “Israel is a sovereign state subject to the rule of law.”
This tension comes shortly after Trump and Netanyahu met at the White House. Media reports said that Herzog’s office requested clarification on whether Netanyahu incited Trump to issue these public statements against the Israeli president.
On the other hand, sources close to Netanyahu said that Trump’s request to grant him a pardon was initiated by the US President himself, stressing that the Prime Minister “learned about the matter through the media and was not aware of it in advance.”
It is noteworthy that Netanyahu has been on trial for more than five years on charges related to corruption, including forgery, breach of trust and bribery, in one of the most important judicial cases in Israel’s political history.
The issue of Netanyahu’s pardon is considered one of the most contentious issues in Israel, due to its intersection between politics and law.
Trump’s statements come at a very sensitive period, in light of the ongoing trial of the Israeli Prime Minister, and the escalation of internal controversy over the independence of the judiciary and the limits of foreign interference, especially American, in Israeli sovereign decisions.
