Former minister Haim Ramon, who served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice, shared his position in an interview with Radio 103FM regarding the possibility of a pardon for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Ramon asserted that such a move is unrealistic and cannot occur while Netanyahu remains in office. In his view, there is only one way to resolve the political stalemate that has paralyzed the country in recent years.
According to Ramon, the core of the societal rift in Israel over the past decade centers entirely on attitudes toward Netanyahu. “There is no chance that any of the conditions Netanyahu is demanding will be met,” he said. “The root of the division in this trial - and in Israeli society - is ‘only Bibi’ versus ‘anyone but Bibi.’ This dynamic has accompanied us for ten years, tearing apart and polarizing Israeli society. Almost every public debate ultimately hinges on whether it benefits Netanyahu or harms him, regardless of the issue itself.”
He stressed that the only resolution lies in Netanyahu’s retirement from political life. “This cannot be resolved as long as Netanyahu remains in politics,” Ramon stated. “Since the likelihood of that is small, I’ll give you a spoiler - there will be no pardon, no matter how many articles are written or how many words are spoken. For Netanyahu it’s a win-win; for [President Isaac] Herzog, it’s a lose-lose.”
Ramon further explained that Netanyahu seeks to enter elections without the burden of a trial or criminal charges. “If Netanyahu were to run after receiving a pardon, with no trial and no charges - if I were in the opposition, I wouldn’t even participate in the election. The goal of the pardon request is to avoid any admission of guilt or judgment and to allow him to go into the next elections appearing ‘clean’ in the eyes of much of the public.”
He also addressed the impact of the October 7 attacks on the Prime Minister’s public image. “He has ways to cope with the aftermath. It’s true he bears primary responsibility, but no one who held office opposed the policy of containing Hamas,” he said.