Israeli President Yitzhak Herzog said that the consideration of Benjamin Netanyahu's pardon request is underway, stressing that he refuses to give in to any pressure on this issue, Agence France-Presse reported.
His American counterpart Donald Trump said yesterday that "Israeli President Herzog should be ashamed that he did not pardon Netanyahu".
“Contrary to the impression created by President Trump's words, President Herzog has not yet made a decision on this issue“, the Israeli president's office said in a statement. "The prime minister's request is currently being reviewed by the Justice Ministry for a legal opinion, in accordance with established procedures," it added. "Only after the conclusion of this process will President Herzog consider the request in accordance with the law, in the best interest of the State of Israel, without any external or internal pressure," the office added.
Indicted on three corruption charges, Netanyahu officially requested a presidential pardon at the end of November, counting on the support of Trump, who had already made a similar appeal to his Israeli counterpart. Herzog, however, said at the time that he would make a decision guided "solely by the good of the state and society."