Corruption Trial

By Pesach Benson • January 22, 2026

Jerusalem, 22 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Israeli President Isaac Herzog poured cold water on a speedy pardon for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is on trial for corruption.

“I have made clear numerous times that it has to go through a certain procedure,” Herzog said in a discussion with Fareed Zakaria. “Right now, the request has to go through the procedure of collecting various opinions by the relevant agencies in the Ministry of Justice. I cannot violate that, because of course I have to operate according to the rules.”

In an unprecedented letter to Herzog sent in November, Netanyahu did not admit wrongdoing or apologize for any alleged offenses but instead emphasized his “broad public and ethical responsibility” for the political tensions surrounding his ongoing corruption trial. Netanyahu’s request came on the heels of U.S. President Donald Trump’s appeal for clemency to the Israeli president.

“I respect President Trump tremendously,” Herzog told Fareed Zakaria, “and of course we have our own legal system and I will operate within its [bounds].”

Netanyahu’s case “should have been resolved amicably,” Herzog said, and he will decide “according to the rules, the law, and my conscience.”

Netanyahu argued that despite his personal desire to continue the trial and prove his innocence, the public interest necessitates a different course. “Closing down the trial will lower the flames of political disagreement,” Netanyahu wrote, adding that Israel’s current security challenges and diplomatic opportunities demand unity.

Herzog responded to Trump that no pardon could be considered unless Netanyahu first formally admits guilt and requests clemency. Netanyahu has ruled out requesting clemency if it requires admitting guilt, and his latest request contained no such admission.

Netanyahu faces charges of fraud, accepting bribes, and breach of trust stemming from three separate police investigations. He denies all wrongdoing.

Netanyahu faces charges in three cases: the Bezeq Affair, where he allegedly granted regulatory benefits to Bezeq in exchange for favorable coverage on the Walla news site; the Yediot Affair, in which he aided publisher Arnon Mozes for positive media coverage; and the Gifts Affair, involving $200,000 in gifts from Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan for visa and tax-related assistance. The Gifts Affair is widely regarded as the most serious of the three.

Netanyahu, who was indicted in 2019, has insisted that the trial would not interfere with his public responsibilities.

No serving Israeli prime minister has ever been indicted on criminal charges. Ehud Olmert stepped down in 2008 ahead of his indictment and later served part of a 27-month prison sentence.

By Pesach Benson • January 12, 2026

Jerusalem, 12 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Israel’s governing coalition on Monday introduced a bill that would abolish the criminal offense of “fraud and breach of trust,” a key charge in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ongoing corruption trial. The move has sparked fierce criticism from opposition parties, who say the legislation is designed to protect Netanyahu and undermine the rule of law.

The bill is expected to be considered by the Ministerial Committee for Legislation next week before moving to the Knesset for further debate.

Netanyahu, on trial since 2020, faces charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust in three high-profile cases, known as Cases 1000, 2000, and 4000. The legislation, if passed, would repeal Article 284 of Israel’s Penal Code, which has defined the offense since 1977.

Netanyahu faces charges of fraud, accepting bribes, and breach of trust stemming from three separate police investigations. He denies all wrongdoing.

In the case known as the “Bezeq Affair,” Netanyahu, while serving as communications minister, is accused of granting regulatory benefits to the Bezeq telecom giant. In return, Bezeq’s majority shareholder, Shaul Elovitch, allegedly provided Netanyahu with favorable coverage on the Walla news site, which he owned.

In the second investigation, known as the “Yediot Affair,” Netanyahu allegedly helped *Yediot Aharonot* publisher Arnon Mozes by advancing regulations on newspaper distribution to Mozes’s advantage. In exchange, Mozes is accused of offering Netanyahu favorable coverage.

In a separate investigation known as the “Gifts Affair,” Netanyahu and his wife Sara are accused of accepting $200,000 in gifts from Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan in exchange for assistance with a U.S. visa and changes to tax provisions benefiting Milchan. This case is widely regarded as the most serious one against Netanyahu.

In a joint statement, the bill’s sponsors — MKs Ofir Katz (Likud), Simcha Rothman (Religious Zionist Party), and Michel Buskila (New Hope) — described the offense as vague and prone to abuse. “This offense enables selective and biased enforcement,” the lawmakers said, arguing that it has been used to prosecute officials for conduct that is ethically questionable but not clearly criminal. They added that Israel already has laws covering bribery, money laundering, fraud, forgery, insider trading, and obstruction of justice, and the bill would introduce clearer criminal provisions, including conflicts of interest involving close relatives and misuse of government information. At the same time, the coalition said disciplinary and ethics enforcement would be strengthened.

Opposition leaders denounced the bill as an attack on democracy. “This is not a reform; it is a full-fledged coup that will turn Israel into a failed and backward third-world country,” said Yair Lapid, leader of Yesh Atid. He vowed to fight the bill “in the Knesset, in the streets, and in the courts.”

Yair Golan, head of the left-wing Democrats party, described it as “a truly mafia-like move by a government whose senior figures are evading justice.” He added, “The message to the public is clear: it is permissible to deceive and betray trust, as long as the seat of power remains secure.”

Civil society groups echoed the alarm. Tomer Naor, vice president for law and strategy at the Movement for Quality Government, said, “The offense of fraud and breach of trust is one of the strongest defenses we have for integrity in public life. Its abolition would leave sophisticated corruption effectively legal.”

Netanyahu made the unprecedented move of submitting an “extraordinary” pardon request to President Isaac Herzog in November.

No serving Israeli prime minister has ever been indicted on criminal charges. Ehud Olmert stepped down in 2008 ahead of his own indictment for corruption. Olmert was eventually convicted and served two-thirds of a 27-month prison sentence.