Michal Zuk-Shafir, Legal Adviser to the President of Israel, has sent a letter to the parties to the cases against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, inviting them to negotiate a settlement before considering the prime minister's request for clemency.
This was announced by the office of Israeli President Isaac Herzog.
„On Tuesday evening, Attorney General Michal Zuk-Shafir sent a letter to the parties to the cases against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, inviting them to hold talks at the presidential residence with the aim of reaching an agreement. This process is only a preliminary step before the president considers using his pardon powers. The parties were asked to appear at their earliest convenience,” the statement said.
The Israeli president’s office noted that “the parties were informed that participation in this process does not constitute an agreement or a decision on any disputed issue and does not affect their arguments during the process.”
Zuk-Shafir’s letter, the text of which was distributed by Herzog’s office, states that “the president has concluded that before considering the use of the pardon powers filed against the prime minister, it is necessary to first exhaust all possibilities for negotiations between the parties in order to reach an agreement.” The president's legal advisor has asked the prosecution and defense to respond by May 3 regarding their readiness for such consultations.
In June 2025, US President Donald Trump called for an end to the Israeli trial against Netanyahu, calling it a "parody of justice".
On October 13, during his speech to the Knesset (Israeli parliament), the American leader, addressing Herzog, offered to pardon the Israeli prime minister.
On November 12, state-run Kan TV reported that Herzog had received an official letter from Trump with a corresponding proposal.
On November 30 last year, Netanyahu, through his lawyer, submitted a request for pardon to the President of Israel.
The Israeli prime minister is charged with three corruption charges: accepting illegal gifts worth more than 700,000 shekels ($230,000), including cigars and champagne; cheating on media regulations in exchange for favorable coverage of his policies; and accepting bribes to carry out projects for the benefit of his friends.
The trial in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem has been ongoing since 2020, and Netanyahu has repeatedly denied his guilt. The prime minister's testimony began in December 2024.