According to reports, Herzog is offering Netanyahu a full pardon in exchange for political retirement in two years; The President's Office Denies the Report According to reports, the President of Israel, Yitzhak Herzog, offered to grant Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a full pardon in exchange for remaining in office for two more years before retiring from politics, according to Israel's Channel 14. The channel reported that Herzog has been considering the arrangement for nearly two years and that it may come up as an option in the negotiations to form a new government. However, the Herzogs' office rejected the report as fake news, stressing that the president does not engage in speculation about the formation of the government. The report comes amid uncertainty following Israel's parliamentary elections on October 27, when neither Netanyahu's bloc nor that of his main rival, Gadi Eisenkot, are expected to secure the 61 seats needed for a majority. Initial forecasts give the Netanyahu bloc 53 mandates, the Eisenkot bloc 48 and the Palestinian parties in the Knesset 19, which could place the latter in a decisive position. Herzog said he would consult with the parliamentary factions after receiving the official results next week before choosing a candidate to form a government.

According to reports, Herzog is offering Netanyahu a full pardon in exchange for political retirement in two years; The President's Office Denies the Report According to reports, the President of Israel, Yitzhak Herzog, offered to grant Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a full pardon in exchange for remaining in office for two more years before retiring from politics, according to Israel's Channel 14. The channel reported that Herzog has been considering the arrangement for nearly two years and that it may come up as an option in the negotiations to form a new government. However, the Herzogs' office rejected the report as fake news, stressing that the president does not engage in speculation about the formation of the government. The report comes amid uncertainty following Israel's parliamentary elections on October 27, when neither Netanyahu's bloc nor that of his main rival, Gadi Eisenkot, are expected to secure the 61 seats needed for a majority. Initial forecasts give the Netanyahu bloc 53 mandates, the Eisenkot bloc 48 and the Palestinian parties in the Knesset 19, which could place the latter in a decisive position. Herzog said he would consult with the parliamentary factions after receiving the official results next week before choosing a candidate to form a government.