Netanyahu Ally Calls Israeli President a ‘Coward’ for Refusing to Pardon Corruption-Tainted PM

In a revealing glimpse into the fraught political drama roiling Israel, a confidant of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently confronted President Isaac Herzog with harsh words, calling him a “coward” for refusing to pardon the embattled leader. The confrontation occurred during a secret two-and-a-half-hour meeting in March, amid the ongoing US-Israel tensions over Iran and just before Herzog publicly advocated for dialogue on a possible plea bargain in Netanyahu’s criminal trial.

According to a report by Channel 12, the meeting took place at a mutual friend’s apartment in Shoham and involved right-wing journalist Jacob Bardugo, a vocal Netanyahu supporter and frequent critic of Herzog. Bardugo has relentlessly attacked Herzog in the media for not pardoning Netanyahu, demanding the president resign over the issue.

Herzog pushed back, lamenting to Bardugo the impossible position he faces: “The left thinks I will grant a pardon no matter what. They consider me a suspect before I ever did anything. Meanwhile, you’re inciting the right against me nonstop.” Herzog made clear that Netanyahu’s lawyers had submitted no proper pardon request, only a letter that failed to admit any wrongdoing, which he said “has no chance of passing.”

Bardugo dismissed Herzog’s concerns, insisting that pardoning Netanyahu would help “unite a divided country” and taunted Herzog with a warning about the diplomatic fallout with former US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly called Herzog “weak and pathetic” for withholding clemency.

Herzog’s office responded to the report by framing the meeting as a routine background conversation with media figures and denied any concrete pardon discussions took place. Still, Herzog’s legal adviser recently invited Netanyahu’s legal team and the Attorney General to the President’s Residence to explore plea bargain talks—an invitation that Netanyahu’s camp has yet to accept amid internal disagreements.

This standoff highlights the unprecedented situation Israel faces with Netanyahu, the first sitting prime minister to stand trial on corruption charges involving alleged political favors for gifts and favorable media coverage. Netanyahu denies all wrongdoing, calling the trial a politically motivated “witch hunt.”

Herzog remains caught between fierce pressures: Trump and Netanyahu’s supporters demand immediate pardon, while opposition forces insist clemency must come only with admission of guilt and resignation. Herzog’s refusal to grant a pardon without a proper request or accountability underscores the deep fractures in Israeli democracy and the ongoing battle against entrenched corruption.

This episode exposes how authoritarian tactics and loyalty demands are pushing democratic institutions to the brink, with the president navigating a minefield of political attacks while trying to uphold the rule of law and preserve Israel’s democratic character. The stakes could not be higher for the country’s future.