Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog met secretly during Operation Roaring Lion at a classified security facility—a meeting never disclosed to the public until now.
The meeting, officially billed as a security briefing, took place amid the pardon controversy. According to information obtained by Channel 14, after the security briefing concluded with both sides’ military secretaries present, the two remained in the room for an extended private conversation lasting several minutes.
What was discussed remains unknown, but the timing is notable—the meeting occurred after the pardon request was submitted. Unlike previous security updates, neither side disclosed this meeting until now. President Herzog confirms the meeting took place but strongly denies meeting privately with the prime minister afterward. The Prime Minister’s Office declined to comment.
In late April, the President’s Office confirmed a New York Times report that President Isaac Herzog decided not to grant a pardon to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at this stage. Instead, Herzog is actively pursuing a plea deal and mediation between Netanyahu and the Attorney General’s Office.
Herzog’s decision came amid heavy and conflicting pressures. On one hand, U.S. President Donald Trump applied public and blunt pressure on Herzog, demanding he grant Netanyahu an immediate pardon and directing harsh words at the Israeli president. On the other hand, legal professionals at the Justice Ministry made clear in a legal opinion that a pardon cannot be granted without an admission of guilt or a final conviction—a condition Netanyahu firmly rejects as of now.