During his speech to the Israeli parliament on Monday, President Donald Trump urged that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu be pardoned for his fraud and bribery charges.
Speaking for over an hour, Trump joked with Netanyahu, mentioning that he wasn’t the “easiest” person to deal with. He suggested Netanyahu could be “a little nicer” now that the conflict has concluded, before turning to Israeli President Isaac Herzog with his proposal.
“Hey, I have an idea, Mr. President – why don’t you give him a pardon?” Trump said, prompting a standing ovation from many in the Knesset.
Netanyahu’s political future is still uncertain as his approval rating fell due to his military tactics in the Gaza Strip and the lengthy process of recovering hostages, many of whom are still in Gaza with the bodies of numerous victims yet to be retrieved.
The ruling coalition lost its parliamentary majority earlier this year, prompting speculation about the possibility of calling an early election.
It is uncertain whether the return of the 20 living hostages on Monday will be sufficient to regain public support or to persuade Netanyahu’s political adversaries to withdraw the 2019 charges.
There seems to be ongoing dissatisfaction with Netanyahu’s management of the Gaza conflict, as demonstrated by the expulsion of two left-wing parliament members, Aymen Odeh and Ofer Cassif—both members of Israel’s opposition—from the chamber for causing a disturbance at the start of Trump’s speech.
The officials held signs that read “Genocide” and “Recognize Palestine.”
A member of the Knesset being removed from the chamber after holding up a sign in protest during an address by President Donald Trump in the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, on Oct. 13, 2025 in Jerusalem. (Photo by Kenny Holston – Pool/Getty Images)
But it is unclear how widely this is felt among the left in Israel as Lapid, leader of the opposition, had countered these claims during his comments ahead of Trump’s address when he said, “The truth is, there was no genocide, no intentional starvation.”
The Knesset Speaker had warned that swift action would be taken if anyone disrupted the session.
Trump joked at the speed of which the members were removed and said, “That was very efficient.”
