Netanyahu says won’t quit politics even if granted pardon in corruption trial
The Israeli regime's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has said that he would not retire from politics if he received a presidential pardon in his years-long corruption trial.
At a joint press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in the occupied al-Quds on Sunday, the Israeli prime minister firmly rejected the idea of walking away from politics.
Asked by a reporter if he planned on retiring from political life if he received a pardon, Netanyahu replied: “No.”
“They’re very concerned with my future. They want to make sure that — how shall I say this? — They’re concerned with my future,” Netanyahu said of his political rivals who have accused the Israeli prime minister of putting his personal interests before those of Israel.
Netanyahu has repeatedly sought to shorten or cancel his court sessions, claiming that they interfere with his management of Israel's two-year genocidal war in the besieged Gaza Strip.
Netanyahu officially requested a pardon from President Isaac Herzog last week.
In a letter to the Israeli president, Netanyahu's lawyers argued that frequent court appearances impede his ability to govern Israel, suggesting that a pardon would benefit the regime.
Netanyahu has reportedly pleaded with US President Donald Trump for “more” help to receive a pardon from the regime’s president.
This request has polarized public opinion, with many opposing a pardon unless Netanyahu admits guilt and withdraws from political life.
Some Israeli opposition politicians have argued that any pardon should be conditional on Netanyahu's retiring from politics and admitting guilt.
Others have said the prime minister must first call elections, which are due by October 2026.
Naftali Bennett, a former prime minister, said he would back ending the trial if Netanyahu agrees to step back from politics "to pull Israel out of this chaos."
Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving prime minister, was indicted in 2019 on charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust following extensive investigations.
His trial began in 2020, marking him as the first sitting Israeli prime minister to testify as a criminal defendant in the regime's history. He faces three separate corruption cases.
The Israeli premier also faces charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity, with the International Criminal Court issuing arrest warrants for him and former war minister Yoav Gallant in November 2024 over atrocities in Gaza, where more than 70,000 people, mostly women and children, have been killed since October 2023.
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