Israel's President Isaac Herzog has received a letter from US President Donald Trump formally urging him to fully pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Netanyahu has been standing trial for the past five years on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust in connection with three separate cases. He has denied any wrongdoing.
In the letter, Trump writes that he absolutely respects the independence of Israel's justice system, but that he believes Netanyahu is facing a political, unjustified prosecution.
Herzog's office said he held Trump in the highest regard, but that anyone seeking a pardon had to submit a formal request.
There was no immediate comment from Netanyahu, but he has previously thanked Trump for similar calls he has made in speeches and on social media.
In 2020, Netanyahu became the first serving Israeli prime minister to stand trial.
In the first case, prosecutors have alleged that he received gifts - mainly cigars and bottles of champagne - from powerful businessmen in exchange for favours.
He is accused in the second case of offering to help improve the circulation of an Israeli newspaper in exchange for positive coverage.
And in the third, prosecutors have alleged that he promoted regulatory decisions favourable to the controlling shareholder of an Israeli telecoms company in exchange for positive coverage by a news website.
Netanyahu has pleaded not guilty to all the charges and branded the trial as a witch-hunt by political opponents.
Last month, after helping to broker the ceasefire in Israel's two-year conflict with Hamas in Gaza, Trump said Herzog should pardon his close ally in a seemingly off-the-cuff remark during a speech to the Israeli parliament.
Trump stated: Cigars and Champagne, who the hell cares about that? He elaborated in his letter, noting that as Israel moves past a difficult era, he believes Netanyahu deserves full pardon.
The response from Herzog's office is diplomatic, stating that he holds President Trump in the highest regard and continues to express his deep appreciation for President Trump's unwavering support for Israel.
It also pointed out that anyone seeking a Presidential pardon must submit a formal request in accordance with established procedures.
According to Israel's Basic Law, the president has the power to pardon criminals and reduce or transmute their sentence. However, there has been no public indication of this request from Netanyahu or his close relatives, although speculation in Israeli media about it persists.
In the political arena, Israel's far-right National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, has implored Herzog to heed Trump's advice, labeling the trial an indictment on the prosecution itself.
Conversely, Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid emphasized that, under Israeli law, receiving a pardon requires an admission of guilt and remorse. He urged for Israel to exercise sovereignty and maintain limits on foreign interference.
The situation remains complex as Netanyahu's supporters and detractors navigate the implications of a potential pardon in the context of Israel's democratic framework.
