There is still an investigation against Netanyahu ongoing for corruption, bribery and fraud. As you can expect from such a good friend of the orange...
Now Netanyahu had the audacity to ask the president of Israel, Isaac Herzog, to grant him pardon and end the five year corruption trial.
Netanyahu denies any wrongdoing and claims the corruption trial is a “deep state” conspiracy, a politically orchestrated “witch-hunt” by rivals and the media.
He has also argued that if he is pardoned, he will be able to strengthen Israel at a tumultuous time for the Middle East.
The Israeli PM’s submission comes weeks after United States President Donald Trump urged Herzog to pardon Netanyahu.
Netanyahu’s 111-page pardon request submitted to Herzog’s office refers to Trump’s earlier request.
In his pardon request, Netanyahu does not admit guilt or wrongdoing.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid said Netanyahu cannot be granted a pardon “without an admission of guilt, an expression of remorse, and an immediate retirement from political life”.
However, legally, an admission of guilt is not required, Dana Blander, a research fellow at the Israel Democracy Institute, wrote in an article. Legally, there are no conditions for a pardon.
The pardon request will first be reviewed by the Ministry of Justice’s pardons department, which will send its opinion to Herzog’s office.
While the president usually follows the ministry’s recommendation, he is not required to do so.
Herzog has previously said he sees a negotiated settlement between prosecutors and Netanyahu’s legal team as the most effective way to conclude this legal matter.
The Israeli prime minister is facing corruption charges that could see him sentenced to up to 10 years in prison.
www.aljazeera.com
theintercept.com
