ABU DHABI - President Isaac Herzog was en route back to Israel from Australia on Thursday night when United States President Donald Trump publicly urged him to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying he should be “ashamed” for not doing so.
He should give it,” Trump said during a White House event.
The comments reached Herzog mid-flight, aboard a commercial airliner carrying him and his delegation home after a four-day visit.
President Herzog ponders PM's pardon request.
On the flight, Herzog gathered his advisers and staff to help formulate a response at 30,000 feet.
US President Donald Trump points his finger towards Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a press conference after meeting at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, December 29, 2025.
Asked by one of the reporters traveling with him for his personal reaction, Herzog replied: “To the best of my recollection, I am the president of Israel. »