Benjamin Netanyahu: the corruption trial, pardon bid and ICC warrant
Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's prime minister, is on trial at the Jerusalem District Court on charges of fraud, breach of trust and bribery. As of 29 October 2026 the court has given no verdict on any charge. He denies all wrongdoing, and he is presumed innocent. His request for a presidential pardon has not been decided. Separately, the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant against him over the Gaza war.
The charges and the three cases
Netanyahu was indicted in November 2019 by the then Attorney General, Avichai Mandelblit. The trial opened in May 2020, which made him the first sitting Israeli prime minister to face a criminal trial. The indictment is split into three cases, known by number.
| Case | Allegation | Charges |
|---|---|---|
| Case 1000 | Receiving gifts such as cigars and champagne from wealthy businessmen in return for favours | Fraud and breach of trust |
| Case 2000 | An alleged understanding with the publisher of the newspaper Yediot Aharonot, Arnon Mozes, about favourable coverage | Fraud and breach of trust |
| Case 4000 | Regulatory decisions said to have benefited Shaul Elovitch, a Bezeq shareholder, in return for positive coverage on the Walla news site | Bribery, fraud and breach of trust |
Bribery is charged only in Case 4000. Judges have more than once urged the prosecution to consider dropping that charge, but the court has not ruled on it. Netanyahu has called the cases politically motivated and has described them as a witch hunt. Prosecutors say the allegations rest on evidence of improper exchanges between a public official and powerful figures in business and the media.
How the trial has unfolded
The case has moved slowly. The pandemic, war, the prime minister's health and his official duties have all caused delays or shortened hearings. Netanyahu first took the witness stand on 10 December 2024. He finished his testimony on 24 June 2026, after 98 hearings spread over about 18 months. At the end he described the process as ten years of hell and accused prosecutors of acting from political motives.
The defence case is now under way. In October 2026 Mr Mandelblit gave evidence as a defence witness at the Jerusalem District Court. He was questioned about the approvals he gave to investigators and about how Case 2000 came about. Reports say the court has moved to hearings five days a week to complete the remaining testimony, in part because the presiding judge is due to retire. A verdict is not expected soon. Whatever the three-judge panel decides, the losing side could appeal to the Supreme Court.
The pardon request and plea talks
On 30 November 2025 Netanyahu asked President Isaac Herzog for a pardon. He did not admit guilt. He said a pardon would help to ease national divisions. Under the usual practice in Israel, a pardon follows a conviction. The Justice Ministry's Pardons Department has warned that stopping a trial before a verdict, with no admission of guilt, would be exceptional and legally problematic. Critics say any pardon should depend on an admission or on his leaving politics. US President Donald Trump has publicly urged that one be granted.
On 26 April 2026 Mr Herzog said he would not decide for now. He asked the parties to exhaust efforts to reach an agreed settlement outside the courtroom, which in practice means a plea agreement. In Israel such an agreement normally involves some admission and some penalty. No pardon has been announced, and it is not publicly clear whether plea talks are still active.
The ICC arrest warrant
The corruption trial is separate from the proceedings at The Hague. In November 2024 the ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former defence minister, Yoav Gallant. The court said there were reasonable grounds to believe they bore criminal responsibility for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Israel rejects the court's authority and the legitimacy of the warrants.
Israel is not a party to the Rome Statute, the court's founding treaty, but the State of Palestine is. Israel has challenged the court's jurisdiction and has brought several appeals, some of which the court has rejected. Two appeals are reported to remain pending. The warrants stay in force unless the court orders otherwise, and holding the office of prime minister gives no immunity before the ICC. The United States has imposed sanctions on senior ICC officials.
The election and what comes next
Israel voted on 27 October 2026. With most ballots counted, Netanyahu's right-wing bloc was on course for about 53 seats in the 120-seat Knesset, short of the 61 needed for a majority. The opposition bloc was also short. Official results were still being finalised, and coalition talks are likely to follow. The outcome will affect the trial indirectly, because it will shape any political deal-making over a pardon or a plea agreement.
The legal position is unchanged. The corruption case is still at the evidence stage, with the defence presenting witnesses. No court has found Netanyahu guilty of any offence. The questions that remain are how the court will rule on the evidence, whether Mr Herzog will act on the pardon request, and how the ICC will deal with the remaining challenges to its warrant.