Scoop: Netanyahu asked Trump for more help in pardon push
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Netanyahu with Trump during the U.S. president's address to the Israeli Knesset in October. Photo: Jalaa Marey/Getty Images
During a long phone call on Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked President Trump for more support in his push for a pardon from Israel's president, two U.S. officials and one Israeli official said.
The big picture: In a conversation that largely focused on Gaza and Syria, the leaders also discussed Netanyahu's ongoing corruption trial. Trump has repeatedly intervened in Israel's judicial process and domestic politics to push for an end to those proceedings.
- Last month, Trump sent an official letter to Israeli President Isaac Herzog denouncing the charges against Netanyahu as "political lawfare" and calling on Herzog to issue a pardon.
Driving the news: On Sunday, Netanyahu sent an official letter to Herzog requesting a pardon to allow him to focus on Israel's national security and regional peace agreements.
- Herzog said he'll consider Netanyahu's request after getting all the necessary legal opinions. That process could take two months.
- During Monday's call, Netanyahu asked Trump to continue supporting his effort to secure a pardon, according to the two U.S. officials.
Behind the scenes: Trump told Netanyahu he thinks the pardon will work out but didn't commit to any further steps, one U.S. official said.
- "Netanyahu wants Trump to do more, but the president has done all he can do," a second U.S. official said.
- An Israeli official claimed Trump was the one who raised the pardon issue and said the prime minister and the president had agreed to continue discussing it going forward.
Zoom out: During the call, Trump also pressed Netanyahu to change course in Gaza and Syria.
On Gaza: Trump told Netanyahu he should be "a better partner" in implementing the peace agreement. Netanyahu said he's doing the best he can, the U.S. officials said.
- Trump asked Netanyahu why Israel was killing the Hamas militants trapped in tunnels in the Israeli-controlled areas of Gaza rather than letting them surrender.
- The Israeli prime minister pushed back and said it's because "they are armed and dangerous," the officials said.
- The U.S. tried to broker a deal between Israel and Hamas whereby the trapped militants would receive amnesty if they surrendered. The Trump administration saw that as a potential model for disarming Hamas.
On Syria: A U.S. official said Trump told Netanyahu to "take it easy" when it comes to military action in Syria and "not provoke" the Syrian government.
- The call came three days after Israeli airstrikes in Syria killed 13 people and outraged Damascus.
- "The president told Netanyahu that the new leadership in Syria is trying to make it a better place," the official said.
- After the call, Netanyahu seemed to be changing his tone on Syria. He said in a statement on Tuesday that it is "possible to reach an agreement with the Syrians" if Israel's demands are met.
