File Photo: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends his trial on corruption charges at the district court in Tel Aviv. AFP
In a statement, Herzog's office said that a request submitted by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a presidential pardon has been forwarded to the legal department through his attorney, Amit Hadad.
“The Office of the President is aware that this is an extraordinary request that carries significant implications. After receiving all relevant legal opinions, the president will consider the matter responsibly, sincerely, and with the utmost seriousness,” the statement read.
According to the presidency, the submission included a 111-page document prepared by Netanyahu’s lawyer, along with a letter personally signed by the prime minister.
"The continuation of the trial is tearing us apart from within, arousing fierce divisions, intensifying rifts," the premier said Sunday in a video statement, referring to the split between his supporters and opponents.
"I am certain, like many others in the nation, that an immediate end to the trial will greatly help to lower the flames and promote the broad reconciliation that our country so desperately needs," he added.
Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump sent a letter to President Isaac Herzog urging him to pardon Netanyahu, who has consistently denied wrongdoing in all cases against him.
Netanyahu faces one count of bribery, and three counts each of fraud and breach of trust in three separate corruption cases. His trial, which began in 2020, remains far from a conclusion.
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