President Herzog, seeking compromise to end Netanyahu's corruption trial, meets with former Supreme Court head Aharon Barak

Israeli President Isaac Herzog is scheduled to meet with retired Supreme Court President Aharon Barak on Tuesday evening, to discuss ways to reach a compromise in the trial of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Channel 12 News reported. 

Herzog is reportedly hoping to reach a compromise agreement that will be acceptable to the parties involved, while bringing an end to the Netanyahu corruption trial, which has been ongoing for about six years. 

Barak has reiterated his opposition to any pardon that does not involve the prime minister retiring from politics.

Barak recently published an opinion article in Haaretz titled, "Pardon for Netanyahu? Only on condition that he retires from political life.” He is expected to share his opinion with Herzog during the meeting.

As President, Herzog has the authority to pardon Netanyahu, but he has shown no willingness to do so – and no formal request has been submitted. His meeting with Barak comes amid former U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent call to end Netanyahu’s trial, dismissing it as a “witch hunt.”

On Sunday morning, Trump posted a message on the Truth Social platform decrying the trials and issuing the call to “Let Bibi go!”

The following day, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified that Trump was expressing frustration with the trial, saying Netanyahu’s ability to make critical decisions is compromised “when he’s in the middle of negotiating a peace deal and bringing hostages out of a war-torn region.” 

Leavitt also explained that Trump “was simply emphasizing his empathy that he has for Bibi Netanyahu, seeing him go through what he’s going through with his own judicial system in the State of Israel.” 

On Sunday, the Jerusalem District Court agreed to cancel the scheduled days of testimony in Netanyahu’s trial case this week. The decision followed a meeting with top security officials, who reportedly told the judges that Israel faces a unique opportunity to expand the circle of peace in the coming days.

The meeting between Herzog and Barak was scheduled two weeks ago, before Trump posted either of his calls for the corruption trial to be dismissed. Herzog has met regularly with Barak since becoming president, reportedly speaking with the former chief justice around every three months. 

Herzog, himself, has attempted to end the corruption trial several times, believing that the trial against a sitting prime minister has caused a severe public rift. Barak also supports ending the trial, but not by granting a pardon.

He has tried to get Netanyahu to agree to a plea bargain that would end the trial, provided Netanyahu agrees to leave the political sphere. According to reports in Hebrew media, Netanyahu met with Barak in January to discuss this, but Netanyahu refused to step down. 

With recent opinion polls showing Netanyahu and his Likud party enjoying a boost in public opinion following the successes of Operation Rising Lion, it is unlikely he will agree to such a condition now. 

In the past, several judges have urged prosecutors to drop the bribery charges or seek a plea deal, arguing the case against Netanyahu may not withstand cross-examination during trial. Netanyahu maintains his innocence and sees no reason to accept a plea bargain.

His coalition partners reportedly oppose a presidential pardon, viewing it as an admission of guilt. They insist Netanyahu is the target of a politically motivated abuse of the legal system.