ISTANBUL

Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Monday dismissed remarks by his American counterpart, Donald Trump, that they discussed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s pardon of corruption charges and that clemency “is on its way.”

“There has been no conversation between President Herzog and President Trump since the pardon request was submitted,” Herzog’s office said in a statement.

“A few weeks ago, President Herzog held a conversation with a representative on Trump’s behalf, who reached out with a question regarding the American president’s letter.”

In November, Trump sent a letter to Herzog urging the Israeli president to pardon Netanyahu.

Trump said early Monday that he had spoken with Herzog about granting a pardon to Netanyahu.

“How do you not give a pardon? He is a wartime prime minister who is a hero,” Trump told a press conference in Florida, alongside Netanyahu.

Trump claimed that he “spoke to the president, and he tells me it’s on its way. You can’t do better than that, right?”

In early December, Netanyahu submitted an official request to Herzog to be pardoned of his corruption charges.

The request sparked divisions in Israel, as many opposed granting a pardon unless Netanyahu admits guilt and withdraws from political life.

The premier has repeatedly refused to admit guilt and recently stated that he will not quit politics in case of pardon of charges.

Netanyahu, whose trial began on May 24, 2020, is the first sitting Israeli leader to take the stand as a criminal defendant in the country’s history. He faces three separate cases of corruption, all of which the Israeli premier denies.

According to Israeli law, the president holds the authority to pardon criminals or commute their sentences based on necessary information or opinions from relevant authorities, such as the ministers of justice or defense.

Netanyahu also faces charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity, with the International Criminal Court issuing arrest warrants for him and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in November 2024 over atrocities in Gaza, where over 71,000 people, mostly women and children, have been killed since October 2023.