Israeli President Isaac Herzog said Monday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s request for a pardon in his corruption case “sparks debate” within Israeli ‘society’.
The pardon request “will be handled in the most proper and precise way. I will consider only the good of the state and Israeli society,” Herzog said in a statement by his office.
Netanyahu’s move “unsettles many people in this country, across different communities, and it sparks debate,” he added.
“One thing is clear to me, violent discourse does not influence me,” Herzog said.
On Sunday, Netanyahu officially asked Herzog to pardon him of corruption charges, but the opposition called on the Israeli president to reject the request unless the premier admits guilt and commits to withdrawing from political life.
US President Donald Trump has also asked Herzog to pardon Netanyahu, who has headed the current government since late 2022.
Neytanyahu’s office announced that he was invited by the White House for a meeting soon in order to discuss Gaza and other issues.