From Lapid: Presidential pardon would require Netanyahu to admit guilt in corruption trial
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleSam Sokol is a former political correspondent at The Times of Israel. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"
Responding to US President Donald Trump’s letter to President Isaac Herzog calling on him to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of the charges in his ongoing corruption trial, Opposition Leader Yair Lapid states that it would require the premier to admit he broke the law.
“Reminder: Israeli law states that the first condition for receiving a pardon is an admission of guilt and an expression of remorse for the actions,” Lapid says in a statement.
Meanwhile, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir calls on Herzog to accede to Trump’s appeal.
“The fabricated and disgraceful indictments against Prime Minister Netanyahu have long since turned into an indictment against the prosecution, whose disgrace and crimes are exposed in the trial every day. A pardon in this case is the right and urgent thing to do. President Herzog, listen to President Trump,” he tweets.
The Democrats chairman Yair Golan says the premier should resign if he is unable to run the country and face the law at the same time.
“Netanyahu claims ‘there was nothing and there will be nothing’ [to the accusations], but at the same time he’s begging Trump to help him get a pardon,” says The Democrats chairman Yair Golan.
“If he’s struggling to run a country and a trial at the same time, he should resign. The law is clear — and everyone is equal before it.”
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