ISRAELI Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has submitted an official request to his president to be pardoned over his corruption trial.
The plea comes just weeks after Donald Trump sent a letter to President Isaac Herzog urging him to “fully pardon” his ally.
Netanyahu’s major corruption trial centres around allegations of bribery and fraud.
His official request to end the case consisted of two documents – a detailed letter signed by his lawyer and a second letter signed by himself.
The Tel Aviv premier addressed the move with a video statement.
He said: “My personal interest was to complete the legal process until the end – the military and national reality, the national interest, demand otherwise.
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“Ending the trial immediately would advance much needed national reconciliation.
“The continuation of the trial is tearing us apart from within, arousing fierce divisions, intensifying rifts.
“I am certain, like many others in the nation, that an immediate end to the trial will greatly help to lower the flames and promote the broad reconciliation that our country so desperately needs.”
His comments come as the world continues to monitor the war in Gaza which is nearing a complete end.
Hamas and Israel have agreed to a Trump-brokered peace deal which has already seen the remaining hostages released and Palestinian prisoners exchanged.
Ceasefire infractions have been reported by both sides in the month since the deal was signed off but it remains in place.
Trump sent a letter to PM Herzog at the start of November urging him to consider a pardon due to the pressure on Netanyahu to maintain peace in the Middle East.
The US president said Netanyahu “stood tall for Israel in the face of strong adversaries” and now his “attention cannot be unnecessarily diverted”.
President Herzog’s office confirmed they received the request today.
In a statement, they called it “an extraordinary request which carries with it significant implications”.
They are waiting to receive all “relevant opinions” on the case before the president “responsibly and sincerely” considers the request.
Herzog and his team will then make a final decision.
Netanyahu was indicted in 2019 in three cases, including allegations of receiving nearly £166,500 in gifts from business representatives.
These luxury gifts reportedly included cigars, pink champagne and jewellery.
The case was first heard in 2020 and has seen the PM plead not guilty to all charges.
It has been ongoing ever since.