President Isaac Herzog has so far declined Netanyahu’s November 2025 request for a pre-verdict pardon in his long-running corruption trial, instead directing efforts toward mediated plea negotiations between the attorney general and defense counsel. Israeli precedent and Justice Ministry guidance indicate that clemency typically requires either a conviction or an admission of responsibility, conditions Netanyahu has resisted. Judges in Case 4000 have reiterated that the bribery count faces evidentiary challenges and urged prosecutors to consider dropping it, narrowing potential exposure while leaving fraud and breach-of-trust allegations intact. Coalition ministers continue pressing for clemency, and some opposition figures have floated conditional pardons tied to political retirement. The trial has advanced past Netanyahu’s testimony phase, with remaining defense witnesses and closing arguments expected to stretch proceedings well into 2027 or beyond absent a negotiated resolution.