"Presidential pardons are in fashion in the United States, even for people who haven't yet been found guilty of a crime. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is a well-known Americanophile. Now he, too, wants a preconviction pardon, a never-go-to-jail card. On Sunday, his lawyers submitted his request, stressing that freeing Netanyahu from his marathon corruption trial would be purely for the public good."
"Because Netanyahu faces Israeli, not U.S., charges, he had to seek relief from Israel's president, Isaac Herzog, rather than from Donald Trump. But Trump has already weighed in. In a letter last month, he urged Herzog to issue a pardon. The case against Netanyahu is "political, unjustified prosecution," Trump wrote, concluding with his standard line to an implied underling: "Thank you for your attention to this matter.""
"The police began investigating Netanyahu in 2016. He went on trial in 2020 on charges of fraud and breach of trust in three separate cases, and bribery in one of them. One charge held that he used his office to help a billionaire, from whom he and his wife received gifts that included a steady supply of expensive cigars and champagne. Another alleged that he granted regulatory favors in return for favorable coverage on a popular news site."
Benjamin Netanyahu asked President Isaac Herzog for a preconviction pardon aimed at freeing him from his ongoing corruption trial. His lawyers framed the request as serving the public good. Former U.S. President Donald Trump urged Herzog to grant a pardon, calling the prosecution "political, unjustified prosecution" and sending a formal plea. Netanyahu faces Israeli charges stemming from a 2016 police probe, including fraud, breach of trust in three cases, and bribery in one. Allegations include exchanging regulatory favors for favorable coverage and receiving expensive gifts from a billionaire. Trial delays have resulted from legal complexity, many witnesses, defense tactics, the pandemic, and the Gaza war.
Read at The Atlantic
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