There was a clear “threat” delivered in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s formal letter to the President Isaac Herzog requesting a pardon in his corruption case, senior Haaretz columnist Dahlia Scheindlin said on the Haaretz Podcast. 

Netanyahu’s government continues to conduct a “campaign of vicious political incitement against the Israeli judiciary,” Scheindlin noted. “And what he's basically saying in the request is: ‘You see how bad I can make things. This is what will happen and continue to happen if you don't end this.’ It’s a very severe statement.’’

On Sunday, Netanyahu formally submitted a pardon request to the Israeli president. He has been on trial for three separate criminal cases – charged with bribery, fraud and breach of trust – since 2020 and is currently being cross-examined by prosecutors in court. 

On the podcast, Scheindlin discusses the impact a pardon would have on a future election and the U.S.-led efforts to pursue the goals laid out in the Gaza cease-fire agreement, as well as what she believes Israel’s opposition needs to do to seize this moment ahead of next October’s election in order to formulate a “winning strategy” to defeat Netanyahu. 

Read more from Dahlia Scheindlin:

The Visionary Palestinian Peace Plan for Israel and Gaza That You've Never Heard Of

Nobody Wants This? Netanyahu Is Gaslighting Israelis Over October 7 Investigation

What Israel's Opposition Should Learn From Mamdani

Read more on Netanyahu's pardon request:

What You Need to Know About Netanyahu's Bid for a Presidential Pardon in His Corruption Trial

43 Percent of Israelis Oppose Pardoning Netanyahu in Corruption Trials, Polls Show

It's Clear What Defendant Netanyahu Gets Out of a Pardon. But What's in It for Trump?

There was a clear &ldquo;threat&rdquo; delivered in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu&rsquo;s formal letter to the President Isaac Herzog requesting a pardon in his corruption case, senior Haaretz columnist Dahlia Scheindlin said on the Haaretz Podcast.&nbsp;
Netanyahu&rsquo;s government continues to conduct a &ldquo;campaign of vicious political incitement against the Israeli judiciary,&rdquo; Scheindlin noted. &ldquo;And what he's basically saying in the request is: &lsquo;You see how bad I can make things. This is what will happen and continue to happen if you don't end this.&rsquo; It&rsquo;s a very severe statement.&rsquo;&rsquo;
On Sunday, Netanyahu formally submitted a pardon request to the Israeli president. He has been on trial for three separate criminal cases &ndash; charged with bribery, fraud and breach of trust &ndash; since 2020 and is currently being cross-examined by prosecutors in court.&nbsp;
On the podcast, Scheindlin discusses the impact a pardon would have on a future election and the U.S.-led efforts to pursue the goals laid out in the Gaza cease-fire agreement, as well as what she believes Israel&rsquo;s opposition needs to do to seize this moment ahead of next October&rsquo;s election in order to formulate a &ldquo;winning strategy&rdquo; to defeat Netanyahu.&nbsp;
Read more from Dahlia Scheindlin:
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/palestinians/2025-11-26/ty-article/.premium/the-visionary-palestinian-peace-plan-for-israel-and-gaza-that-youve-never-heard-of/0000019a-c18d-db2f-afdf-f7bdaa2f0000">The Visionary Palestinian Peace Plan for Israel and Gaza That You've Never Heard Of</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2025-11-12/ty-article/.premium/nobody-wants-this-netanyahu-is-gaslighting-israelis-over-october-7-investigation/0000019a-78fc-d1ab-a3fa-7cfe27420000">Nobody Wants This? Netanyahu Is Gaslighting Israelis Over October 7 Investigation</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2025-11-06/ty-article/.premium/what-israels-opposition-should-learn-from-mamdani/0000019a-5899-d2eb-afda-de99fab90000">What Israel's Opposition Should Learn From Mamdani</a>
Read more on Netanyahu's pardon request:
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/haaretz-explains/2025-12-01/ty-article/.premium/what-was-the-legal-basis-for-netanyahus-pardon-request-how-will-the-top-court-rule/0000019a-d588-db2f-afdf-f7b8400c0000">What You Need to Know About Netanyahu's Bid for a Presidential Pardon in His Corruption Trial</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2025-12-01/ty-article/.premium/over-one-third-of-israelis-support-pardoning-netanyahu-in-corruption-trials-polls-show/0000019a-d97d-d824-ad9e-fb7f01300000">43 Percent of Israelis Oppose Pardoning Netanyahu in Corruption Trials, Polls Show</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2025-11-30/ty-article/.premium/its-clear-what-defendant-netanyahu-gets-out-of-a-pardon-but-whats-in-it-for-trump/0000019a-d5a6-d824-ad9e-ffff79320000">It's Clear What Defendant Netanyahu Gets Out of a Pardon. But What's in It for Trump?</a>

From Haaretz – Israel's oldest daily newspaper – a weekly podcast in English on Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World, hosted by Allison Kaplan Sommer.

From Haaretz – Israel's oldest daily newspaper – a weekly podcast in English on Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World, hosted by Allison Kaplan Sommer.

Your audio guide to Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World.

Haaretz Podcast

From Haaretz – Israel's oldest daily newspaper – the Haaretz weekly podcast in English on Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World, hosted by Allison Kaplan Sommer. 

From Haaretz – Israel's oldest daily newspaper – the Haaretz weekly podcast in English on Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World, hosted by Allison Kaplan Sommer.

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