Trump goes off script, calls for pardon of embattled Netanyahu
The ‘pardon Netanyahu’ quip leaves Knesset half laughing, half silent
US president Donald Trump on Monday called on Israel’s President Isaac Herzog to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who faces charges of breach of trust, fraud and corruption. This was an off-script moment that drew both laughter and discomfort in the Knesset chamber.
“Mr. President, why don’t you give him a pardon?” Trump said, turning towards Herzog during his 65-minute address to parliament. “By the way, that was not in the speech,” he added, grinning, as lawmakers exchanged uneasy glances.
The remarks came during a session marking the return of 20 hostages held by Hamas for more than two years and the formal end of the Israel-Hamas war — an occasion meant to celebrate unity and closure, not courtroom drama.
Netanyahu, who listened impassively, has long faced criticism from opponents who accuse him of prolonging Israel’s war against Hamas to cling to power and postpone his trial. Trump’s unscripted suggestion, half jest and half jab, underscored both leaders’ shared familiarity with legal troubles — and added a note of irony to a day dedicated to peace and reconciliation.
Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English