President Isaac Herzog invited Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and state prosecutors to the presidential residence to pursue a negotiated settlement in Netanyahu's long-running corruption cases. Herzog said settlement attempts must be exhausted before he will consider a pardon request, and he has asked for a reply by Sunday. Netanyahu faces charges in three separate cases, denies wrongdoing, and the six-year trial has sharply divided public opinion in Israel.
Herzog Invites Netanyahu and Prosecutors to Presidential Residence to Seek Settlement in Long-Running Corruption Case
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, centre, and his wife Sara, left, and Israel's President Isaac Herzog attend a ceremony commemorating Israel's Remembrance Day for fallen soldiers, or Yom HaZikaron, at the Military Cemetery on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem, Tuesday April 21, 2026. (Ilia Yefimovich/Pool Photo via AP)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
JERUSALEM — President Isaac Herzog on Tuesday formally invited Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and state prosecutors to the presidential residence for talks aimed at negotiating a settlement that could resolve the prime minister's long-running corruption cases.
The invitation, signed by Herzog's legal adviser, came days after the president said he would not immediately rule on Netanyahu's request for a pardon and would instead urge both sides to pursue a negotiated resolution first. The letter stressed that settlement efforts must be exhausted before Herzog can consider the pardon petition, and asked for a response by Sunday.
What the Invitation Says
The president's office said Herzog wants discussions to proceed with "an open heart and sincere, good intention," and emphasized mediation as a pathway to closing a politically fraught chapter. The meeting would bring together Netanyahu and representatives of the state prosecution to explore whether an agreed outcome is possible.
Background
Netanyahu, who requested that the trial be halted last November on grounds that ending the legal proceedings would help heal divisions in Israeli society, faces charges in three separate cases: breach of trust, fraud and accepting bribes. He denies all wrongdoing. The trial has been under way for six years and has deeply polarized public opinion, with supporters calling the proceedings a politically motivated campaign by media, police and prosecutors.
International and Domestic Context
The disclosure that U.S. President Donald Trump has privately urged Herzog to intervene underscores the international attention the case attracts. For now there has been no immediate public reaction from Netanyahu's office or from the attorney general's office.
Next steps: Herzog has requested a reply by Sunday on whether the parties will come to the presidential residence to begin talks.
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