A political and legal earthquake unfolded on Sunday when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu submitted a request for a presidential pardon to President Isaac Herzog.
The request was delivered to the legal department at the President's Residence by Netanyahu's attorney. It was then transferred to the Pardons Department in the Justice Ministry, which will compile the relevant legal opinions from various officials in the ministry. These opinions will then be forwarded to the legal adviser at the President's Residence and staff, who will prepare an additional opinion for the president.
Officials at the President's Residence emphasized that this is an exceptional request with far reaching implications. Once all opinions are received, the president will examine the matter responsibly and with due seriousness. The request includes two documents: a detailed letter signed by Netanyahu's attorney, and a letter signed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu himself. Given the unusual importance of the request and its implications, the documents were released to the public.
"The public interest points in another direction"
In his letter to Herzog, Netanyahu did not admit guilt or express remorse. "In recent years, tensions and disagreements between different parts of the nation and between various branches of government have intensified," he wrote. "I am aware that the legal proceedings in my case have become a focal point of fierce political strife. I bear broad public and moral responsibility and understand the consequences of all these events. For this reason, and despite my personal interest in managing the trial and proving my innocence until full acquittal, I believe the public interest points in another direction."
Netanyahu added that as prime minister, driven by a sense of public responsibility to help bring reconciliation among the people, he had no doubt that ending the trial would help reduce the flames of the dispute that has formed around it. Facing the security challenges and diplomatic opportunities confronting the State of Israel, he said he was "committed to doing everything possible to heal internal divisions, achieve national unity and restore public trust in state institutions", and that he expected all senior state officials to "do the same."
The request stated that the prime minister had believed from the start, and still believes today, that if the legal proceedings continue to their conclusion they would end in full acquittal. He had and has extensive criticism of the conduct of law enforcement authorities in handling his case, and this has been proven and continues to be proven in the courtroom today. For many years, the prime minister was determined to prove these claims in every lawful way available to him.
