Day 787 - PM requests a presidential pardon. Is it in Israel's interest?
The Times of Israel Daily Briefing
The Times of Israel
4.5 • 1.1K Ratings
🗓️ 1 December 2025
⏱️ 26 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.
Editor David Horovitz joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.
On Saturday, Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman, Majed al-Ansari stated in a podcast that the issue of the two remaining bodies of hostages -- taken to Gaza on October 7, 2023, during the Hamas onslaught on southern Israel -- is allowing Israel to potentially delay the next phase of the Trump peace plan. Horovitz weighs in on the readiness of both sides to move forward.
Yesterday, six years after he was indicted on charges of fraud, bribery and breach of trust, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu submitted a 111-page formal pardon request to President Isaac Herzog, seeking an end to his long-running and unprecedented corruption trial. We remind listeners of the charges against the premier and the very public intervention by US President Donald Trump on his behalf. Netanyahu claims that ending his trials may help heal Israel -- but could it instead cause a greater rift?
Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.
For further reading:
Dror Or of Kibbutz Be’eri, beloved father and cheesemaker, buried alongside his wife
Qatar says Hamas failure to return last two slain hostages can’t ‘obstruct’ Gaza plan
Netanyahu requests presidential pardon in corruption trial; doesn’t admit guilt
What to know about Netanyahu’s request for a pardon in his corruption trial
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IMAGE: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, and President Isaac Herzog, right, attend a wreath-laying ceremony marking Holocaust Remembrance Day in the Hall of Remembrance at Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center, in Jerusalem, Israel, May 6, 2024. (Amir Cohen/Pool Photo via AP)
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Welcome to the Times of Israel's Daily Briefing. I'm your host, Amanda Borschal Dan, here with our editor, David Horowitz. Today is Monday, December 1st, Day 787 of the war. |
| 0:16.5 | David, thank you so much for joining me from our Jerusalem offices. Thanks, Amanda. Pleasure. |
| 0:20.7 | Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu submitted a formal pardon request to President Isaac Herzog |
| 0:26.5 | yesterday seeking to end his long-running and really unprecedented corruption trials. |
| 0:32.6 | So David will explain the potential viability of this move and the request blowback. |
| 0:39.6 | And Qatar is accusing Israel of delaying phase two of the Trump peace plan. |
| 0:45.0 | We'll hear all about this and more when we're back. |
| 0:52.9 | This episode is brought to you by the Jewish communal fund, helping individuals and families make the most of their charitable giving. |
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| 1:35.4 | Learn more at jcfn.org. And we're back. I'm Amanda Borsel, Dan, here with our editor, David Horowitz. |
| 1:57.2 | Droor, a devoted father and husband, was laid to rest next to his wife yesterday. |
| 2:03.3 | They were both killed on October 7, 2023, and Dror's body was released back to Israel last week |
| 2:10.9 | under the terms of the ceasefire with Hamas. |
| 2:14.1 | As we speak, the Red Cross and Hamas's military wing are commencing a search for one of the remains of the two deceased hostages that have not yet returned home. |
| 2:25.9 | Now, on Saturday, Qatar's foreign ministry's spokesperson accused Israel of delaying the move to phase two of the Trump peace plan until the last two remaining |
| 2:36.6 | deceased hostages are returned back to Israel. David, do you feel like this was a fair accusation? |
| 2:44.1 | Well, if you're interested in moving towards long-term stability in Gaza and all the aspects |
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