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Israel Prime Minister benjamin netanyahu has requested amnesty in his long-running corruption trial – a move that has set off alarm bells among his critics that he is trying to circumvent the rule of law.
In a video message, Netanyahu said the current “security and political” situation in Israel made it impossible for him to appear in court several times a week.
His request for pardon from Israel chairman This is the latest twist in a case that has been going on for years. This could have significant implications for Israel’s legal system and Netanyahu’s political future, as elections are held next year.
What are the charges against him?
Netanyahu is unquestionably the most important political figure in modern Israeli politics. He was first elected Prime Minister in 1996 and is now serving his sixth term.
He has been charged with bribery, fraud and breach of trust related to an investigation dating back to 2016. There are now three cases known by numbers – Case 1,000, Case 2,000 and Case 4,000. The trial started in 2020.
In Case 1,000, Netanyahu is alleged to have received gifts worth some US$200,000 (A$305,000/£151,000), including cigars and champagne, from Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan and Australian billionaire James Packer.
Case 2,000 relates to Netanyahu’s alleged meetings with Arnon Mozes, publisher of the leading Yediot Aharonot newspaper. Prosecutors say Mozes offered Netanyahu favorable coverage in exchange for a ban on one of his rival newspapers.
And the final case, Case 4,000, belongs to Bezeq, a communications group. The Attorney-General alleged another reciprocal agreement: it is alleged that Netanyahu would be portrayed positively on online platforms in exchange for him supporting regulatory changes that would benefit Bezeq’s controlling shareholder.
Netanyahu has consistently denied any wrongdoing in the affairs and has said he is the victim of a “witch hunt”. In 2021, he described the allegations as “fabricated and ridiculous”. When he took the stand in 2024, he said:
These temptations were born of sin. There was no crime, so they got the crime.
Experts have pointed out that amnesty can only be granted if someone has been convicted of a crime. But Netanyahu is not offering to admit any responsibility or guilt in this case, and he probably never will. He’s just apologizing so he can continue his work.
Independence of Israel’s judicial system
Since the trial began in 2020Several witnesses have testified in the case, including some of Netanyahu’s former aides who entered plea bargains and became government witnesses. So, some very damaging material has been brought against Netanyahu.
But he has been extremely savvy and politically astute in using other issues – notably the Gaza war – at every opportunity to try to postpone or disrupt the proceedings.
And following the October 2023 Hamas attacks, the number of testing days was limited for security reasons. According to media reports, Netanyahu has frequently requested to cancel his hearings due to his handling of the war.
About the author
Michelle Burgis-Kasthala is Professor of International Law at La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. read the original article
Netanyahu’s supporters appear to have no problem with his clemency request, but it highlights broader questions surrounding the independence of the Israeli legal system.
In early 2023, the Netanyahu government unveiled plans to overhaul the judicial system, which critics said would weaken the Supreme Court and Israel’s system of checks and balances. Netanyahu was not involved in the effort because the Attorney-General said it would be a conflict of interest due to his corruption trial, but other ministers in his cabinet were pushing for it.
Mass protests took place on a regular basis throughout Israel in response to this move. Critics saw this as a direct attack on the basic foundations of the Israeli legal system.
The pardon request is now part of this broader story, even though the two issues are not formally linked. Netanyahu’s opponents say it is another sign of his and his coalition’s fundamentally different concept of the rule of law.
Netanyahu’s political existence
It’s all about Netanyahu’s personal and political survival. He was re-elected leader of the Likud party this month and has announced his intention to run for prime minister again in next year’s elections – and is expected to win.
Israeli basic law suggests that Netanyahu cannot flee if he has been convicted of a serious crime, though it is unclear whether he would actually be blocked at this point.
Media reports have revealed that Netanyahu wants to move the elections from November to June, in the hope that he will be able to secure deals to normalize relations with both Saudi Arabia and Indonesia by then. This fits the pattern of trying to use foreign policy leverage to address their domestic problems.
With the elections coming up, he is now trying everything possible to improve his position – and pardon is just one of them. This is probably the only option he has now to end the case because the trial has gone on for so long and at some point the court will have to make a decision.