Herzog's legal advisor invites Netanyahu's attorneys for plea deal talks

Lead

President Isaac Herzog's legal advisor, Michal Tzuk, reached out to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's attorneys on Tuesday evening, inviting them to engage in talks to attempt to reach understandings and agreements, as reported by the Jerusalem Post. The invitation is a preliminary step intended to explore the possibility of forming agreements before the president discusses Netanyahu's pardon request itself.

Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara agreed to meet with Netanyahu's defense team following Herzog's invitation, according to a statement from her office. She conditioned her agreement on the absence of preconditions and on the continued progress of Netanyahu's trial.

Coverage Comparison

The Jerusalem Post has provided multiple reports on this developing story, with varying framings. One article, published on April 26, 2026, reported that Herzog does not plan to pardon Netanyahu in the near future, citing a New York Times report. The same article noted that Herzog will instead attempt to begin mediation to reach a plea deal. Another report, from April 28, detailed the initial invitation to Netanyahu's attorneys and noted that Netanyahu had resumed his testimony in the Bezeq-Walla case after about two months.

A May 4 report confirmed Baharav-Miara's agreement to meet, while a May 13 article quoted Herzog speaking at the President's Conference for a Shared Israeli Tomorrow, where he pressed for negotiations toward an agreed resolution, saying that Israel's deepest internal crises should be handled through dialogue where possible.

The Jerusalem Post's editorial on April 30 offered an opinionated perspective, arguing that Herzog deserves the country's full support in finding a negotiated end to the trial, dismissing criticism from both the Right and the Left.

Key Claims

• Invitation to talks: President Isaac Herzog's legal advisor invited Netanyahu's attorneys to engage in talks to explore possible agreements, a preliminary step before considering the pardon request, as reported by the Jerusalem Post.
• Attorney-General's agreement: Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara agreed to meet with Netanyahu's defense team, with the condition that there be no preconditions and that the trial continue to progress, according to a statement from her office reported by the Jerusalem Post.
• Herzog's stance on pardon: Herzog does not plan to pardon Netanyahu in the near future, instead preferring mediation, as reported by the Jerusalem Post, citing a New York Times report and officials.
• Netanyahu's denial: Netanyahu denies all charges against him, as stated in Jerusalem Post reports.
• Trial timeline: The trial against Netanyahu began in May 2020 and has been ongoing for nearly six years, with Netanyahu indicted in 2019 on charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust, according to Jerusalem Post reports.
• Herzog's dialogue push: Herzog has repeatedly called for dialogue toward an agreed resolution, saying that Israel's deepest internal crises should be handled through dialogue rather than further rupture, as quoted in the Jerusalem Post.