Netanyahu: I won’t quit politics for presidential pardon

Israeli prime minister tells reporters he will not accept a conditional presidential pardon requiring him to drop out of politics in exchange for an end to his ongoing corruption trial.

By World Israel News Staff

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared Sunday afternoon that he will not accept a conditional presidential pardon offering clemency in exchange for his agreement to quit politics.

Addressing reporters during a joint press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Jerusalem, Netanyahu ruled out any possible compromise arrangements for a pardon from President Isaac Herzog, who is expected to rule on Netanyahu’s request for a pardon following assessments by his legal adviser and the Justice Ministry.

“They’re very concerned with my future,” Netanyahu told a German reporter who asked whether Israel’s longest-serving premier would consider stepping away from politics in exchange for a pardon.

“They want to make sure that — how shall I say this — they’re concerned with my future.” Netanyahu continued.

The prime minister said his political future will be decided by Israel’s voters, not by the judiciary or the president.

“Well, so are the voters, and they’ll decide, obviously, but we have big tasks to do, including with Germany in historic cooperation that will actually, actually will, in many ways, tower over our previous cooperation, which was quite amazing, but that’s not surprising, because, as you can see, Chancellor Merz is a towering figure.”

Earlier at the press conference, Merz declined to say whether he had invited Netanyahu to visit Germany with the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for the Israeli leader still in effect.

Netanyahu said he would “be delighted to visit Germany again and speak there with the chancellor” if given the opportunity.

“Bring our government together, I think that’s important. The reason we’re not going there is that there’s an ICC prosecutor.”