Israeli President Isaac Herzog has rejected Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's request for a pardon on corruption charges, The Times of Israel reported.

Netanyahu was indicted in 2019 on multiple corruption charges. He has denied the allegations and submitted a pardon request to the president last November.

Earlier, Herzog had postponed a decision on the pardon and intended to mediate between the prime minister and the attorney general regarding a plea deal.

According to sources, Herzog believes there are many options beyond 'pardon or not pardon.' 'As previously stated, President Isaac Herzog considers reaching an agreement between the parties regarding Prime Minister Netanyahu's case to be the correct and dignified solution,' a spokesperson for the president's office said.

U.S. President Donald Trump is demanding that Netanyahu be pardoned. He called Herzog 'weak and pathetic' for not doing so. 'I want Bibi [Netanyahu] to focus on the war, not on nonsense,' Trump said.

The investigation into Netanyahu began in December 2016. He is accused of receiving cigars and champagne worth tens of thousands of dollars from a billionaire Hollywood producer in exchange for personal favors, as well as providing services to media moguls in exchange for favorable coverage of his activities and his family.

Source: kun.uz