MBABANE:Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday asked President Isaac Herzog to pardon him for bribery and fraud charges to end his five(5)-year corruption trial, Aljazeera reported.
Netanyahu is facing three separate corruption cases filed in 2019: Case 1000, Case 2000, and Case 4000, which involve allegations of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust but, denies any wrongdoing and claims the corruption trial is a “deep state” conspiracy, a politically orchestrated “witch-hunt” by rivals and the media.
The Israel Prime Minister has also argued that, if he is pardoned, he will be able to strengthen Israel at a tumultuous time for the Middle East, his submission comes weeks after United States President Donald Trump urged Herzog to pardon Netanyahu.
Netanyahu’s 111-page pardon request submitted to Herzog’s Office refers to Trump’s earlier request that he must be forgiven.
But analysts and observers posit that in his efforts to avoid the trials and possible conviction, Netanyahu has been extending and expanding Israel’s genocidal assault on the besieged Gaza Strip.
Israel is a strategic ally of the United States in the Middle East and Netanyahu is enjoying close ties with President Donald Trump.
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu(pic:via Aljazeera).