Mr. Trump called on the President of Israel to pardon Prime Minister Netanyahu

The Israeli President's Office released a letter from Donald Trump on November 12. In the letter, Trump wrote: "While I fully respect the independence of the Israeli judiciary, I believe that the 'case' against Mr. Bibi, who has fought alongside me for a long time, including against Iran, Israel's most formidable adversary, is a political and unjustified prosecution."

President Donald Trump. Photo: White House

"Bibi" is the affectionate nickname of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Although his role is largely ceremonial, Israeli President Isaac Herzog is empowered to grant pardons in exceptional cases.

In response, the Israeli President's Office stressed that any request for clemency must be made through a petition in accordance with established procedures.

In a statement from his office, Prime Minister Netanyahu said: "Thank you, President Trump, for your extraordinary support. As always, you get straight to the point and tell the truth. I look forward to continuing our partnership to strengthen security and expand peace ."

Prime Minister Netanyahu has been indicted since 2019 on a series of charges including bribery, corruption and breach of trust. His trial, which began in 2020, focuses on three groups of cases. One case involves him and his wife, Sara, allegedly accepting more than $260,000 in luxury gifts such as jewelry, wine and cigars from billionaires in exchange for political favors.

The other two cases involve allegations that Netanyahu pressured two major Israeli media outlets in exchange for favorable coverage. Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing and said he is the victim of a political plot to oust him.

This is not the first time President Trump has publicly defended his close counterpart. During his visit to Israel in October, Mr. Trump also directly called on President Herzog to pardon Mr. Netanyahu when speaking before the country's parliament.

Source: https://congluan.vn/ong-trump-keu-goi-tong-thong-israel-an-xa-cho-thu-tuong-netanyahu-10317615.html