’Tel Aviv’ Protests Erupt as Netanyahu Seeks Pardon

By Staff, Agencies

"Israeli" Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s move to seek a presidential pardon for his long-standing corruption cases has sparked widespread public backlash and sharp political condemnation.

Protesters outside the residence of the occupation entity’s president, Isaac Herzog, denounced the maneuver as an assault on the rule of law, waving signs beneath a large pile of bananas labeled "Pardon," equating the move to a "Banana Republic."

Netanyahu, 76, formally petitioned President Herzog for clemency, seeking to escape potential imprisonment if he is ultimately convicted.

For years, the "Israeli" entity's leader had refused to request a pardon, as "Israeli" law typically requires an admission of guilt. Reports indicate his current plea omits any clear confession of wrongdoing.

In a video statement justifying his political lifeline, Netanyahu claimed that "the 'security' reality, the political situation, and the national interest" forced his hand.

He argued that the ongoing trial "tears us apart" and deepens domestic divisions.

Opposition figures united in demanding that Herzog reject the request unless Netanyahu meets two critical conditions: a full admission of guilt and a permanent exit from political life.

Opposition Leader Yair Lapid stated that clemency should only be granted if Netanyahu "admits to doing wrong, feels bad about it, and leaves politics right away."

Yair Golan, head of the Democratic Party, reinforced this stance: “Only the guilty seek a pardon. After eight years of legal proceedings, cases that have not collapsed, Netanyahu is now asking for clemency.”

Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett indicated he would only support a formal deal that terminates Netanyahu's trial if it is contingent upon his permanent departure from public office.

The sharpest rebuke came from National Unity Party chairman Benny Gantz, who accused Netanyahu of using the pardon request as a cynical distraction from the regime's deeply controversial draft-exemption bill.

“He’s acting like an arsonist who starts a fire and then demands protection money to put it out,” Gantz said. “Instead of inflaming tensions, put out the fire you started. Stop harming democracy, call elections, and only then pursue a plea deal or a pardon.”

Despite the intense political and public pressure, Herzog’s office was quoted as saying the president would remain impartial and would not be "influenced by any pressure from any party."

The pardon request now rests with the president, determining whether Netanyahu can escape accountability for the charges leveled against him.

Netanyahu, "Israel’s" longest-serving prime minister, is on trial for multiple corruption cases while also facing ICC charges over "Israel’s" genocidal war on Gaza, where prolonged assaults have killed and injured tens of thousands of Palestinians, most of them women and children.