Denying Trump’s claim, Herzog says he’s still weighing Netanyahu’s pardon request

After US President Donald Trump claimed that President Isaac Herzog had recently told him that a pardon for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is “on its way,” Herzog’s office quickly issues a denial.

“There has been no conversation between President Herzog and President Trump since the pardon request was submitted,” Herzog’s office says in a statement.

“A few weeks ago, President Herzog held a conversation with a representative on Trump’s behalf, who reached out with a question regarding the American president’s letter,” the statement from Herzog’s office says, referring to a November letter Trump sent to the Israeli president formally urging him to pardon Netanyahu.

Netanyahu sent his own official request to Herzog later in November. Herzog is still deliberating the matter.

In the aforementioned phone call between Herzog and the Trump aide, the latter “was given an explanation of the stage the request is currently at, and that a decision on the matter will be made in accordance with the procedures. This was explained to Trump’s representative, exactly as President Herzog conveyed to the public in Israel,” Herzog’s office says in a statement.