Herzog: I will consider ‘only the good of the state’ when weighing Netanyahu’s pardon request; ‘violent discourse does not influence me’

President Isaac Herzog addresses Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s request for a pardon in the premier’s corruption trial, saying he will consider “only the good of the state and Israeli society” in his response to the request, and asserting that “violent discourse” will not sway him.

In a statement released by his office, Herzog says that 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.”

He says Netanyahu’s move “unsettles many people in this country, across different communities, and [it] sparks debate,” but stresses that “One thing is clear to me — violent discourse does not influence me.

“On the contrary, respectful discourse certainly stimulates discussion and dialogue. I invite the Israeli public to the website of the President’s Residence, the house of the people, to express their opinion and respond accordingly,” he adds.