Israelis Protest Netanyahu's Pardon Request in Tel Aviv On November 30, 2025, hundreds of Israelis gathered outside President Isaac Herzog's private residence in Tel Aviv to protest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's request for a presidential pardon in his ongoing corruption trial. The demonstration, held under the slogan "Pardon = Banana Republic," featured activists and opposition lawmakers decrying the move as an attempt to evade accountability. The protest erupted shortly after Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving prime minister, submitted a 111-page petition to Herzog seeking a full pardon without admitting guilt or expressing remorse. In a video statement, Netanyahu argued that continuing the trial amid Israel's "security and political reality" was harming national unity, stating it was "tearing us apart from within" and intensifying societal rifts. Netanyahu has been on trial for over five years across three corruption cases, facing charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust. Key allegations include accepting over $260,000 in luxury gifts—such as cigars, jewelry, and champagne—from wealthy donors in exchange for regulatory favors, as well as attempts to secure more favorable media coverage from major outlets. Netanyahu denies all charges, with his legal team asserting the proceedings would end in acquittal. Protesters, including opposition figures like lawmaker Naama Lazimi, demanded Herzog reject the request. One demonstrator donned an orange prison jumpsuit mimicking Netanyahu, while others posed with a pile of bananas symbolizing a descent into a "banana republic" of impunity. Prominent activist Shikma Bressler told the crowd: "He is asking that his trial will be completely cancelled without taking any responsibility, without paying the price for how he tore up this country... People of Israel understand what is at stake, and it really is the future of our country." Herzog's office acknowledged the "extraordinary request," which carries significant implications, and pledged to review it responsibly after consulting relevant opinions. Historically, Israeli pardons are granted only post-conviction, making this pre-trial bid unprecedented and sparking immediate backlash. Opposition leader Yair Lapid insisted any pardon require Netanyahu to admit guilt, show remorse, and retire from politics. Former military deputy chief Yair Golan called for Netanyahu's resignation, quipping, "Only the guilty seek pardon." The Movement for Quality Government in Israel warned that approving it would signal that "there are citizens who are above the law." Supporters within Netanyahu's coalition, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, backed the request, decrying the trial as a "corrupt judicial" persecution. Defense Minister Israel Katz echoed that a pardon could heal a "deep rift" in society. The timing follows U.S. President Donald Trump's public endorsement last month, where he urged Herzog to pardon Netanyahu during a speech to Israel's parliament and labeled the case a "political, unjustified prosecution" in a letter. Protester Ami Dror, 52, emphasized the stakes: "The president’s job was to protect Israeli democracy… and if you demolish law and order, this might be the end of Israeli democracy." The event underscores deepening divisions in Israel, where Netanyahu's legal battles have fueled years of unrest.