DID Press: Dozens of angry Israeli citizens gathered Sunday evening outside President Isaac Herzog home in Tel Aviv to demand the rejection of PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s request for a pardon in his corruption cases. The protests came hours after the 76-year-old Netanyahu formally urged the president for clemency, without admitting guilt or expressing remorse.
Protesters, chanting slogans equating the pardon with a “banana republic,” called on Herzog to reject the “unprecedented” request. Some demonstrators wore orange prison-style outfits and staged symbolic displays featuring piles of bananas to underline their message. [“Banana republic” is a term used to describe politically and economically unstable countries.]
Shikma Bersler, a prominent anti-government activist, said: “He wants his trial completely canceled without accepting any responsibility… The people of Israel know what is at stake—the future of the country is at risk.”
Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, has been on trial for five years in three separate corruption cases involving bribery, fraud, and breach of public trust. In one case, he and his wife are accused of receiving more than $260,000 in luxury gifts from wealthy individuals in exchange for political favors. Netanyahu’s legal team argued in a 111-page letter to the President’s Office that he still believes he will be “fully acquitted.”
Herzog’s office confirmed receipt of the pardon request, calling it “extraordinary and carrying significant implications,” and said it would review the application “with full responsibility” after consulting legal advisers.
In addition to domestic cases, Netanyahu faces an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant issued in November 2024, accusing him and Yoav Gallant of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza conflict. The war in Gaza has so far resulted in more than 70,000 deaths—mostly women and children—and 171,000 injuries.