Herzog’s office announced an invitation on Tuesday to bring Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and government prosecutors to the president’s official residence in an effort to end an ongoing corruption case, according to the invitation issued by Herzog’s office. The president extended the invitation days after his office said he would not decide Netanyahu’s request for a pardon and would instead encourage the parties to try to settle the matter.
The invitation, signed by Herzog’s legal adviser, said Herzog believes the “efforts to reach a settlement ‘must be exhausted first’ before he can consider the pardon request.” It also said the discussions were intended to proceed “with an open heart and sincere, good intention,” and it asked for a response by Sunday.
The timing of the invitation placed it directly in the context of Netanyahu’s efforts to seek relief from the case. Netanyahu last November asked Herzog to cancel his trial, arguing that dropping the charges would help unify the country, the Associated Press reported.
U.S. President Donald Trump has also publicly urged Herzog to end the trial, according to the same report. Herzog’s invitation was sent after his office previously announced a decision not to rule on the pardon request, setting out settlement talks as the next step.
The corruption case involves three separate prosecutions charging Netanyahu with breach of trust, fraud and accepting bribes, in each case tied to allegations that he exchanged favors with wealthy associates. Netanyahu denies all charges.
The trial has lasted for six years and has divided Israeli public opinion, with Netanyahu and his supporters arguing that he is the target of a politically motivated “witch hunt” involving the media, police and prosecutors, according to the Associated Press account. The report said there was no immediate comment from Netanyahu’s office or from the attorney general’s office.