Netanyahu addressed his request for a pardon from President Isaac Herzog during a joint press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who is on a visit to Israel, vowing that he would “not retire from politics in exchange for a pardon.”

Last week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu submitted a formal request for a pardon from Israeli President Isaac Herzog, saying it would free him to “tackle national security without trial distractions.” 

The request comes after U.S. President Donald Trump intervened in a letter to President Herzog, requesting a pardon for the Prime Minister, labeling the corruption charges against Netanyahu as a political attack on a strong wartime leader. 

The ongoing trials since 2020 charge Netanyahu with bribery, fraud, and breach of trust, which the Prime Minister and his allies have called a political witch hunt.

President Herzog said he will consider Netanyahu’s pardon request after getting all the necessary legal opinions. That process could take two months.