Israeli President Isaac Herzog said on Monday that he has not conducted talks with his American counterpart Donald Trump since Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu submitted a pardon request from corruption trials, denying Trump's statements that "the pardon is on the way".
On November 12, 2023, Trump formally requested Herzog to grant a pardon to Netanyahu, and the latter subsequently submitted a request for a pardon, while the Israeli president said he is studying the request.
Trump's request sparked widespread criticism within Israel, with accusations of interference in Israel's internal affairs and harming equality before the law.
During his reception of Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida earlier Monday evening, Trump said: "How can they not grant a pardon to Netanyahu? He is a prime minister during war."
He added: "I spoke with the President (Herzog) and he says it's on the way."
However, Herzog's office said in a statement: "No contact has been made between President Herzog and President Trump since the submission of the pardon request."
Netanyahu faces charges of corruption, bribery, and breach of trust in 3 corruption files that require his imprisonment if convicted.
"File 1000" involves him and his family members receiving valuable gifts from businessmen in exchange for providing facilities and assistance to them in various fields.
While in "File 2000", he is accused of negotiating with the publisher of the Hebrew newspaper "Yedioth Ahronoth" (private) Arnon Mozes to obtain positive media coverage.
As for "File 4000", it concerns providing facilities to the former owner of the news site "Walla" Shaul Elovitch, who was also an official at the "Bezeq" communications company, in exchange for positive media coverage.
In addition to his local trial, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu in 2024 for committing war crimes and crimes against humanity against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
No contact has been made between President Herzog and President Trump since the submission of the pardon request.
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Herzog Denies Trump's Statements on Pardon for Netanyahu: We Have Not Conducted Talks