Netanyahu Requests Pardon in Corruption Trial

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu formally requested a pardon from President Isaac Herzog on Sunday for charges in his ongoing corruption trial, arguing that the proceedings are impeding his ability to lead the country amid national challenges.

Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving prime minister, faces accusations of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust across three cases. The allegations stem from claims that he accepted luxury gifts worth hundreds of thousands of dollars from wealthy benefactors and traded regulatory favors for positive media coverage. Indicted in 2019, Netanyahu has pleaded not guilty and maintains the case is a politically motivated effort by opponents unable to defeat him electorally. The trial, which began in 2020, has been paused multiple times, including during the aftermath of the October 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel.

In a video statement released by his Likud party, Netanyahu explained the request as a matter of national interest rather than personal benefit. "The State of Israel is facing enormous challenges," he said. "The continuation of the trial is tearing us apart from within, arousing fierce divisions, intensifying rifts." He highlighted...