Trump demands pardon for Israeli PM Netanyahu amid corruption cases
2026-02-13 - 10:46
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump has urged that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu be granted a pardon in his ongoing corruption cases. In a statement, Trump said Netanyahu should receive clemency, warning that refusing it would be “shameful.” He claimed the Israeli Prime Minister is being treated unfairly and also criticized Israeli President Isaac Herzog, calling on the Israeli public to raise their voice on the matter. Responding, President Herzog said that Netanyahu’s pardon request is under review. He stressed that any decision will be made according to constitutional and legal requirements, free from external or internal pressures. Netanyahu faces multiple corruption cases, an issue that has long dominated Israeli politics. Critics also accuse him of being the principal architect behind massive and historic acts of barbarism and terrorism in Gaza, holding him responsible for widespread civilian suffering. US President Trump opposes Israeli occupation in West Bank US President Donald Trump has voiced opposition to Israel’s occupation and expansion in the West Bank, officials at the White House confirmed on Tuesday. A senior White House official said that President Trump believes stability in the West Bank is crucial for Israel’s security and that maintaining peace in Palestinian areas aligns with the United States’ goal of regional stability. Meanwhile, the British government condemned the Israeli cabinet’s decision to expand settlements in the West Bank, calling any attempt to unilaterally alter Palestine’s territorial structure “unacceptable.” The statement added that such actions violate international law and urged Israel to immediately reverse the decision. Pakistan, along with seven other Muslim countries, also issued a strong condemnation of Israel’s measures in the occupied West Bank. In a joint statement, the countries called on the international community to hold Israel accountable and halt its “dangerous actions,” emphasizing that Israel has no sovereignty over Palestinian territories and that its policies are accelerating illegal annexation and the forced displacement of Palestinian communities. Pakistan, seven other Muslim countries demand immediate halt to Israeli actions in West Bank Pakistan, along with seven other Muslim countries, has strongly condemned Israel’s recent measures in the occupied West Bank and urged the international community to take immediate action to stop Israel’s “dangerous activities.” According to a statement from the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Indonesia, Pakistan, Egypt, and Turkey condemned Israel in the strongest terms for imposing illegal sovereignty, expanding Jewish settlements, and introducing new administrative and legal measures in the occupied Palestinian territories. The joint statement emphasized that Israel has no sovereign rights over the occupied Palestinian territories and that these actions are accelerating illegal annexation and the displacement of Palestinian communities in the West Bank. The foreign ministers warned that Israel’s expansionist policies are increasing violence and instability in the region. They described the Israeli measures as a clear violation of international law and United Nations Security Council resolutions. The joint statement called on the international community to fulfill its legal and moral responsibilities and compel Israel to stop its dangerous activities in the West Bank. It further stressed that a two-state solution, the Arab Peace Initiative, and establishing Jerusalem as the capital of a Palestinian state within the June 4, 1967 borders remain the only path to a just and sustainable peace in the region. Trump’s 20-Point Israel-Palestine plan