TEL AVIV — A key legal voice has raised serious objections to the pardon request recently submitted by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, warning that under law a pardon cannot be validly granted if the accused does not first admit guilt.
Micah Fettman once Netanyahu’s lawyer said in a televised interview that “a pardon is given to an offender that’s what the law stipulates.” Under that interpretation, he argued the request is procedurally flawed because a pardon requires a legal determination of guilt or at least an admission of wrongdoing.
Netanyahu submitted the pardon request on Sunday as he continues to face long-running corruption trials on charges of fraud, bribery and breach of trust. His legal team argued that ongoing court proceedings are destabilizing the country and that a pardon would ease political and social divisions.
But opposition politicians and critics have strongly condemned the move. Yair Lapid and others have insisted that any pardon be conditional on a confession of guilt, a public apology, and Netanyahu’s immediate withdrawal from political office. Without such conditions, they said, granting a pardon would erode confidence in the rule of law and set a dangerous precedent of impunity.
At present, the request is with the office of Isaac Herzog, the Israeli President. His office says it will “responsibly and sincerely consider” the application which it described as “extraordinary” and with “significant implications.” Officials in the Justice Ministry are reviewing the legal arguments before advising the President on whether to grant clemency.
As debate rages over the legality and ethics of pre-conviction pardons, many Israelis remain deeply divided. Some view the pardon request as a dangerous attempt to override judicial accountability; others believe it could help the nation move past years of political instability. Dalena Reporters will continue to monitor the presidential decision, legal opinions, and public reaction as the story unfolds.