A mid-air moment of diplomacy: Trump calls for Netanyahu’s pardon — Herzog answers at 30,000 feet.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog pushed back Thursday after U.S. President Donald Trump publicly urged him to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying Israel’s decisions are governed by its own laws.
Trump made the remarks during a White House event while Herzog was returning from a four-day visit to Australia. “He should give it,” Trump said, referring to a pardon for Netanyahu. “The people of Israel should really shame him. He’s disgraceful for not giving it.”
According to Israeli officials, Herzog was informed of Trump’s comments mid-flight and convened advisers aboard the plane to craft a response. In a statement issued from the aircraft, the President’s Residence said that any pardon request submitted by Netanyahu is currently under review by Israel’s Justice Ministry for a legal opinion.
“Only after the process is concluded will the president examine the request in accordance with the law, the good of the state, and his conscience — and without any influence from external or internal pressures of any kind,” the statement said.
The statement also expressed appreciation for Trump’s support of Israel’s security but emphasized that Israel is “a sovereign state governed by the rule of law.”
Pressed by reporters traveling with him for a personal reaction, Herzog replied tersely: “To the best of my recollection, I am the president of Israel.”
Netanyahu has been facing ongoing legal proceedings in Israel, and the question of a presidential pardon has drawn intense domestic debate. Herzog has previously said any such request would be handled strictly according to established legal procedures.
The exchange highlights the delicate balance between Israel’s close relationship with Washington and the independence of its judicial and constitutional processes.
