(MENAFN) According to reports, dozens of Israelis gathered outside President Isaac Herzog’s residence in Tel Aviv on Sunday evening to oppose Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s request for a presidential pardon in his ongoing corruption cases.

Opposition legislators, including Knesset member Naama Lazimi, joined the demonstration, which called on the president to deny the clemency request. Protesters held signs blaming Netanyahu for the nation’s political crisis and chanted, “You are the leader; you are the guilty.”

One demonstrator wore a Netanyahu mask along with an orange prison-style jumpsuit to draw attention to the charges he is facing. The protest was organized under the slogan “Pardon = Banana Republic,” with participants arranging a mound of bananas topped by a sign labeled “Pardon” as a satirical critique of Netanyahu’s effort to obtain clemency.

The rally came amid sharp political reactions to the prime minister’s move to end his years-long trial. Earlier in the day, opposition leader Yair Lapid urged President Herzog to reject the pardon request unless Netanyahu admits guilt and withdraws from political life.

Despite Israeli law requiring an admission of guilt before clemency can be granted, Netanyahu, 76, formally submitted his request without offering such a confession. He is currently entangled in three major corruption cases involving allegations of accepting gifts, attempting to influence media coverage, and granting regulatory benefits in exchange for favorable reporting.

Beyond these domestic cases, the International Criminal Court issued a warrant for Netanyahu’s arrest on Nov. 21, 2024, for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Local authorities report that more than 70,000 people—most of them women and children—have been killed and nearly 171,000 injured since October 2023.

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