By Tala Ramadan and Steven Scheer
(Reuters) -Israeli President Isaac Herzog has received a letter from U.S. President Donald Trump urging him to consider granting a pardon to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Herzog’s office said on Wednesday.
Netanyahu has been facing a long-running corruption trial, and Trump has repeatedly asked for a pardon for his close ally. Netanyahu denies the charges and has pleaded not guilty.
“While I absolutely respect the independence of the Israeli Justice System, and its requirements, I believe that this ‘case’ against Bibi, who has fought alongside me for a long time, including against the very tough adversary of Israel, Iran, is a political, unjustified prosecution,” Trump said in the letter shared by Herzog’s office.
The office said that anyone seeking a presidential pardon must submit a formal request in accordance with the established procedures.
During Trump’s visit to Israel in October, he had also urged Herzog to pardon the prime minister in an address to parliament in Jerusalem.
Netanyahu was indicted in 2019 in three cases, including allegations of receiving nearly 700,000 shekels ($211,832) in gifts from businessmen.
Despite the largely ceremonial role of the Israeli presidency, Herzog has the authority to pardon convicted criminals under unusual circumstances.
However, Netanyahu’s trial, which began in 2020, has not yet concluded, and he has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Netanyahu has cast his legal ordeal as a left-wing witch-hunt aimed at toppling an elected right-wing leader.
($1 = 3.3045 shekels)
(Reporting by Tala Ramadan and Steven Scheer; Editing by Sharon Singleton, William Maclean)
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