Pardon

What Netanyahu gave President Herzog is a celebration of deceit and hypocrisy, penned by a PM who is promoting a draft-dodging bill and blocking an impartial inquiry of October 7.

Israel's hostage crisis nears its end, the country's prime minister tries to find an escape from his trial, and drama stirs with the Guinness World Records: This week’s Deep Dive breaks it all down.

Isaac Herzog has to contend with a tremendous dilemma regarding the pardon request. Like the trial itself, no result is going to be fully accepted and certainly not unifying.

AS Trump's poodle, a pardoned Netanyahu would be less free to speak up when he feels America’s actions go against Israel’s interests.

President Herzog is indeed the last line of defense of an Israeli democracy shaken for the past three years by Netanyahu, who has consistently placed his personal interests above those of his country

Isaac Herzog assumed the office amid the COVID pandemic, followed by judicial reform unrest, and a multi-front war. Now he has the challenge of whether to pardon Benjamin Netanyahu.

"After nearly four years of pain, waiting, and difficult trials, my husband, Juan Orlando Hernandez, returned to being a free man," said Hernandez's wife, Ana Garcia.

Israel deserves a legitimate October 7 inquiry and new elections, amid dramatic efforts to make amends and heal wounds.

Seeking a pardon before a verdict – particularly when the defendant is the prime minister – creates an extraordinary situation that could destabilize the relations between the branches of government.

It would be in Israel’s best interests to grant the request on the condition that Netanyahu agrees to finish out his present term and retire from politics. 

“Almost every issue that is discussed is about whether it is good for Netanyahu or bad for Netanyahu,” he added. “The issue itself doesn’t matter.”