Israeli President Returns Grace File to Netanyahu

The legal advisor to the President of Israel, Isaac Herzog, requested additional information from the Pardons Department of the Ministry of Justice regarding the request for clemency submitted by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the ongoing corruption trial against him. The request concerns precedents in the exercise of the power to grant clemency before the completion of criminal proceedings, including cases related to diplomatic initiatives or the release of hostages. The Pardons Department had already issued a legal memorandum characterizing Netanyahu's request as particularly problematic and unprecedented, given that the trial is ongoing and there is no conviction or admission of guilt. The department warned that granting clemency at this stage could undermine the principle of equality before the law.