President Isaac Herzog is considering whether to use his limited constitutional powers, including clemency, to help secure a hostage deal and bring the war to an end, The Jerusalem Post has learned. Any move would be contingent on a finalized agreement and on receiving the required professional opinions from the relevant authorities.
In recent hours, multiple outlets reported that one option under review is a sentence reduction for Ami Popper, who murdered seven Palestinian workers in 1990, if a deal includes the release of Palestinian prisoners. The President’s Residence emphasized that no decision has been made and that the matter would be considered only if a hostage deal materializes.
In a statement, the President’s Residence said a request had been received that relies on past precedent and that any decision would be taken only following a full inter-agency review and legal opinions. The office underscored that the return of the hostages is a paramount goal.
The Israeli president’s tools are specific and narrow. Under Basic Law: The President of the State, the president may pardon offenders or commute sentences, a power that the presidency describes as one of its most significant responsibilities.
Popper was originally sentenced to seven life terms. In 1999, then-president Ezer Weizman commuted his sentence to 40 years, a change that set his expected release date for 2030, absent further clemency.
Precedent exists for presidential clemency
There is historical precedent for consequential use of presidential clemency. In 1986, President Chaim Herzog issued pre-indictment pardons to senior Shin Bet officials in the Bus 300 affair, a step later upheld by Israel’s High Court of Justice.
Politically, the discussion comes amid resistance to a prisoner-exchange framework from elements of the far right in government and among parts of the public. Reporting on Sunday characterized the potential clemency step as a bid for “balance” if Palestinian prisoners are freed as part of a potential deal.