US President Donald Trump sent a letter to Israeli President Isaac Herzog asking him to completely drop the corruption case against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Haaretz reports.
The US leader called the criminal case against the Israeli prime minister politically motivated and unfair.
“It’s time to let Bibi unite Israel by granting him a pardon and ending this situation once and for all,” Trump wrote.
In response, Herzog expressed his deep respect for President Trump but emphasized that anyone seeking a pardon must submit a formal petition in accordance with established procedures to the appropriate authorities. The petition must be submitted personally by Netanyahu or his relatives, but they have not yet done so, according to the Times of Israel.
Netanyahu, 75, is the first sitting Israeli prime minister to face criminal charges. In 2019, he was charged with fraud, breach of trust and bribery.