On Sunday, the President's Office reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent an official request for a pardon to President Isaac Herzog.
In a separate video address, Netanyahu said that his case has divided the country and that a pardon would help restore national unity. He also said that the requirement to appear in court three times a week was distracting him from governance.
In early November, US President Donald Trump sent a letter to Herzog, calling for Netanyahu's "full pardon." Trump wrote that Netanyahu "courageously defended Israel against fierce enemies" and that distracting him from running the country was unfounded.
In Israel, the president primarily performs ceremonial functions, but one of the constitutional laws grants him the authority to "pardon criminals and commute or substitute sentences."
The Israeli Supreme Court has also previously ruled that the president may also use the power of pardon for unconvicted individuals if public interests or "extraordinary personal circumstances" require it.
"The President's Office acknowledges that this is an extraordinary request with serious consequences. The President will consider this request responsibly and sincerely after receiving all relevant conclusions," stated Herzog's office, without specifying when the President would make a decision.
The President's administration published the full text of the request, which includes a letter signed by the Prime Minister and a 111-page document from his lawyer.
Netanyahu is the first sitting Prime Minister in Israeli history to be put on trial. He is accused of fraud, breach of trust, and bribery in three separate cases, and is alleged to have traded favors with wealthy political allies.
