Trump demands Israel pardons ‘great hero' Netanyahu, or abandons corruption case against him
Donald Trump demanded that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu be pardoned or his trial abandoned.
Israeli President Issac Herzog has the power to pardon Netanyahu.
Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, are accused of accepting more than $260 000 worth of luxury goods in exchange for political favours.
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday called for Israel to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or cancel his trial on corruption charges.
Netanyahu was indicted in 2019 in Israel on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust - all of which Netanyahu denies.
The trial began in 2020 and involves three criminal cases. He has pleaded not guilty.
'Bibi Netanyahu's trial should be CANCELLED, IMMEDIATELY, or a Pardon given to a Great Hero, who has done so much for the State (of Israel),' Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding that he had learned that Netanyahu was due to appear in court on Monday.
Israeli media have reported that cross-examination of Netanyahu began on 3 June in a Tel Aviv court and was expected to take about a year to complete.
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Israeli President Issac Herzog has the power to pardon Netanyahu but has been quoted by Israeli media as saying that a pardon is 'not currently on the table'.
He also said that 'no such request had been made', according to the reports.
Trump extolled Netanyahu and said in his post: 'It was the United States of America that saved Israel, and now it is going to be the United States of America that saves Bibi Netanyahu.'
That appeared to be a reference to US involvement and support for Israeli strikes on Iran's nuclear programme.
READ | US slaps sanctions on ICC judges in 'clear attempt to undermine' actions against Netanyahu, Israel
Trump announced a ceasefire on Monday.
It was unclear if Trump meant the US could do anything to aid Netanyahu in his legal battle.The Republican president described the case against the Israeli leader as a 'witch hunt', a term Trump has frequently applied to US attempts to prosecute him.
The warm words contrasted with the rare rebuke he issued on Tuesday over Israel's post-ceasefire strikes on Iran.
Israel, as soon as we made the deal, they came out and they dropped a load of bombs, the likes of which I've never seen before. The biggest load that we've seen. I'm not happy with Israel.
Donald Trump
Iran and Israel, he added, had been fighting 'so long and so hard that they don't know what the fuck they're doing'.
AFP reported that Netanyahu's trial has been delayed many times since it began in May 2020, with the Israeli leader requesting postponements due to the war in Gaza and later conflict in Lebanon.
In a first case, Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, are accused of accepting more than $260 000 worth of luxury goods such as cigars, jewellery and champagne from billionaires in exchange for political favours.
Two other cases allege that Netanyahu attempted to negotiate more favourable coverage in two Israeli media outlets.
Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing.
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