President Isaac Herzog is seeking clarification from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following sharp criticism directed at him by U.S. President Donald Trump, a day after Trump met with Netanyahu in Washington.
Trump said Thursday called Herzog “disgraceful” for not granting Netanyahu a pardon in his ongoing corruption trial. Herzog’s office said the president wants to know whether Netanyahu was behind the remarks, which officials described as a serious affront to Israel’s sovereign institutions.
Trump slams Herzog on stalling Netanyahu pardon
(Video: Reuters)
Sources close to Herzog said that if it emerges that Netanyahu encouraged Trump to make the comments, it would constitute a “red line.”
“There is a difference between criticism and insult, and what we heard from Trump was an insult. Someone clearly stirred him up,” one official said. “Over the weekend, the president received dozens of inquiries from the United States and Israel, and there was a need to seek clarification from Netanyahu.”
Herzog’s office emphasized that the demand for clarification is public and that it wants to understand whether Netanyahu asked Trump to issue such pointed criticism. “Do Trump’s remarks that President Herzog is irrelevant and that the Israeli public should be ashamed of him reflect the position of Netanyahu’s own office?” an official said.
ynet has learned that contacts took place over the weekend between Herzog and American officials. Herzog was said to have been stunned by Trump’s comments, which came while he was on a return flight to Israel from a visit to Australia.
Officials in Herzog’s circle said they suspect Netanyahu may have encouraged Trump’s remarks and are also questioning whether there was any “quid pro quo” in exchange for the public criticism.
On Thursday, a day after meeting Netanyahu, Trump launched an unprecedented attack on Herzog. “Bibi's been a great wartime prime minister,” Trump said, using Netanyahu's nickname. “The president of Israel, the primary power he's got is the power to give pardons, and he’s not [doing it]. He said he’s given it five different times, but he doesn’t want to do it because I guess he loses his power. I think the people of Israel should really shame him. He's disgraceful for not giving it. He should give it.”
On Friday, Trump reiterated his position when asked whether he believed Netanyahu would receive a pardon. “I think so,” he said.
People who have spoken with Netanyahu said they assess his chances of receiving a pardon from Herzog as relatively low, around 30%. It is possible Trump was aware of that assessment when he made his remarks.
In November, Netanyahu submitted a formal request for a pardon to Herzog. The President’s Residence described it as an unusual request with significant implications.
The submission included two documents: a detailed letter signed by Netanyahu’s attorney and a separate letter signed by the prime minister.
According to the request, the grounds for a pardon are “the good of the state,” which Netanyahu argues would allow him to manage state affairs effectively. The document states that Netanyahu believes the legal proceedings, if carried through to their conclusion, would result in a full acquittal.
“He has had and continues to have substantial criticism of the conduct of law enforcement authorities in handling his case, matters that have been proven and continue to be proven in court,” the request said, adding that for years Netanyahu had been determined to prove his claims through all lawful means available to him.