Israeli Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu on Tuesday submitted a position paper to the country’s president regarding Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s pardon request.
“Ever since the heavy responsibility was placed upon me to submit my recommendation to the president of the state regarding the pardon of the prime minister, I have held a long series of consultations,” Eliyahu posted to X on Friday, announcing he had completed his opinion and that it was ready for the president’s approval.
President Isaac Herzog’s legal adviser, Michal Tzuk, will review the paper and present her recommendations to the president.
Netanyahu faces corruption charges in three separate cases. Herzog found himself in the crosshairs of U.S. President Donald Trump over the matter.
On March 5, Trump said of Herzog, “I think the people of Israel should really shame him. He’s disgraceful for not giving it,” referring to a pardon. Herzog “promised me five times that he would give Bibi a pardon,” Trump said, adding that he would refuse to meet the Israeli president until the pardon was granted.
On Feb. 12, Trump reiterated that the Israeli president “should be ashamed of himself,” adding that Herzog had been holding the issue over Netanyahu “for a year” and should stop using it as leverage.
Prior to that, on Oct. 13, 2025, Trump, while addressing the Knesset, publicly called on Herzog to grant a pardon. Trump followed that up with a letter to the Israeli president on Nov. 12.
Herzog’s office pushed back against Trump’s March comments, saying Israel “is a sovereign state governed by the rule of law,” and that he must wait for a legal opinion to be submitted by the Justice Ministry on the matter, as required by law. Amichay submitted the opinion in the stead of Justice Minister Yariv Levin, who recused himself due to conflict of interest as he was a witness for the defense in Netanyahu’s trial.
“After the process is completed, the president will examine the request according to the law, the good of the country and according to his conscience, without any influence from external or internal pressures of any kind,” Herzog’s office said.
