Herzog stalls a Netanyahu pardon as Trump piles on pressure
The president pushes a mediated plea deal Netanyahu won't take — admitting wrongdoing and quitting politics — while Trump calls Herzog 'weak and pathetic'
Summary
President Isaac Herzog has declined, "for now," to rule on a pardon request tied to Benjamin Netanyahu's corruption trial, pressing instead for a mediated plea deal under presidential auspices and asking the Justice Ministry for more material. The deadlock is structural: under Israeli law a pardon effectively requires admitting wrongdoing and accepting a likely ban from office — both of which Netanyahu refuses, leaving any deal improbable. Donald Trump has intervened repeatedly, calling Herzog "weak and pathetic" in March and saying in late April that a pardon would make him a "national hero." Pro-Netanyahu outlets cast Herzog as obstructing a legitimate remedy; the president's office casts a plea deal as the only realistic path. The standoff runs in parallel with a coalition bill to repeal the breach-of-trust offence.
By the numbers
- 26 Apr 2026 — Herzog declines to decide, asks for more material.
- 2 — Trump interventions on the pardon (5 Mar "weak and pathetic"; 29 Apr "national hero").
- 3 — corruption cases the pardon would have to cover.
- 0 — admissions of wrongdoing Netanyahu will offer, the sticking point for any deal.
Why it matters
A pardon would short-circuit a trial that could outlast the election; refusing one keeps the case live through the campaign. Trump's pressure injects the US alliance into an internal legal process, and Herzog's terms — admission plus exit — would end Netanyahu's career as the price of closure.
What to watch
- Whether Herzog formally rejects the request or keeps deferring.
- Any plea-deal talks reopening, and what office ban they would carry.
- Further Trump pressure as the election nears.