Netanyahu begs Trump for ‘more’ help for pardon amid corruption case

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly pleaded with US President Donald Trump for “more” help to receive a pardon from the regime’s president over corruption charges against him and his family at Israeli courts.

The Virginia-based news website Axios cited two unnamed US officials and an Israeli one as saying that Natanyahu made the request during a lengthy phone conversation with Trump on Monday as the two discussed the Israeli premier’s ongoing corruption trials as well as Tel Aviv’s aggression on Gaza and Syria.

“Trump told Netanyahu he thinks the pardon will work out but didn't commit to any further steps,” Axios wrote, citing a US official.

“Netanyahu wants Trump to do more, but the president has done all he can do,” a second US official added.

During the call, Trump allegedly told Netanyahu he should be “a better partner” in relationship with Syria under former al-Qaeda and Daesh commander Abu Muhammad al-Jolani.

Trump also told Netanyahu to “take it easy” in Syria after Israeli strikes killed 13 people in the village of Beit Jinn earlier this month.

“The president told Netanyahu that the new leadership in Syria is trying to make it a better place,” one of the US officials said.

Last month, the US president sent an official letter to his Israeli counterpart, Isaac Herzog, and called on him to issue a pardon for Netanyahu.

On Sunday, Netanyahu's lawyer sent an official letter and 111 pages of documents to Herzog formally requesting a pardon.

The Israeli prime minister claims he needs a pardon to lead Israel's ongoing wars in Gaza, Syria, and Lebanon, with Herzog saying he is reviewing Netanyahu's request, but the process of reaching a decision could take two months.

Israel’s opposition politicians argue that any pardon should depend on Netanyahu retiring from politics and admitting guilt, while others insist he must call elections, due by October 2026, before seeking a pardon.

On Wednesday, about 400 retired Israeli police officers, including ex-commissioners and deputy commissioners, urged Herzog to reject Netanyahu’s request for a pardon in corruption cases, stressing that his request contains “not even a hint of admission of guilt,” making it unacceptable.

Retired Israeli police officers urge Herzog to reject Netanyahu’s pardon request

Hundreds of retired Israeli police officers have urged the regime’s president Isaac Herzog to reject Benjamin Netanyahu’s request for a pardon.

According to a new survey by Israeli media, a majority of Israeli settlers oppose granting Netanyahu a presidential pardon in his criminal trial without an admission of guilt or an expression of remorse.

The poll, conducted for Zman Yisrael, The Times of Israel’s Hebrew-language sister site, showed that in response to the question, “Do you support or oppose Netanyahu’s request for a presidential pardon without admitting guilt or expressing remorse?” 53.2% said they oppose it, while 42.4% said they support it.

The survey was conducted on December 3–4, and included 500 Jewish and Arab respondents with a margin of error of 4.4%.

Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving prime minister, was indicted in 2019 on charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust following extensive investigations.

His trial began in 2020, marking him as the first sitting Israeli prime minister to testify as a criminal defendant in the regime's history. He faces three separate corruption cases.

The Israeli premier also faces charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity, with the International Criminal Court issuing arrest warrants for him and former war minister Yoav Gallant in November 2024 over atrocities in Gaza, where more than 70,000 people, mostly women and children, have been killed since October 2023.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.ir