Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted he will not push for a pardon or concede guilt in his long-running corruption trial, less than a day after thanking Donald Trump for urging Israel's president to clear his record.
On Wednesday it was revealed the US president had written to Israel's President Isaac Herzog to support Mr Netanyahu, arguing the prosecution against the prime minister was politically motivated.
"It is time to let Bibi [Benjamin Netanyahu] unite Israel by pardoning him, and ending that lawfare once and for all," Mr Trump wrote.
The US president made the case for Mr Herzog to use his powers to pardon Mr Netanyahu, prompting the prime minister to express his gratitude for the extraordinary intervention.
Mr Netanyahu struck a defiant tone overnight, and during an interview with Australian broadcaster Erin Molan he maintained he would not admit to any wrongdoing.
"That's not going to happen," he said.
"Nobody suggests that that's what I'll do, and I certainly won't do that."
Despite that, Mr Netanyahu was coy when asked whether he would accept a pardon if it was offered to him.
"Look, I'll think about it, but I'm very grateful to President Trump for being so forthright," he said.
While debate has been raging as to whether Mr Netanyahu could or should be pardoned, many legal experts and his political opponents have noted he would have to concede guilt and show remorse as part of any plea to the president.
Therefore it would be highly unlikely, if not impossible, that there would be a situation where an offer would be made, given any application for a pardon would need to be made by Mr Netanyahu's legal team.
Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported on Thursday that Mr Herzog had been considering whether he would issue Mr Netanyahu with a pardon even before he ran for the office.
The report suggested the now-president kept the pre-emptive discussions on the matter confidential out of fear it would cost him support amongst the Israeli public.
Mr Netanyahu is facing charges of charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust from 2019 — all of which he denies.
The Israeli prime minister criticised the substance and the timing of his trial and argued it was distracting him from matters of state.
"My time has to be free to pursue the things that will determine Israel's future and the future of peace in the Middle East," he said.
"These absurdities should end and I appreciate the fact that [Mr Trump] said it like it is."
