President of Israel

The President of Israel holds a largely ceremonial position that is intended to serve as a moral compass and a unifying force for the country.

Israel's presidency is a largely ceremonial office, but the president of Israel has the legal authority to grant pardons.

Under Israeli law, a presidential pardon requires the person seeking the pardon to submit a formal request, which initiates a procedure that includes recommendations from the Justice Ministry of Israel.

Under Israeli law, the President of Israel has the authority to pardon almost any person charged with or convicted of a crime, but Israeli Supreme Court rulings and other legal guidelines place limits on that presidential pardon authority.

Under current Israeli legal procedures, only a defendant or a member of the defendant's family may submit a pardon request to the President of Israel.

In Israeli practice, pardon requests have typically required defendants to plead guilty and acknowledge wrongdoing, and the Ministry of Justice usually weighs in and provides a recommendation on pardon petitions.

The President of Israel has the authority to grant pardons, and anyone seeking a presidential pardon must submit a formal request in accordance with established procedures; a pardon cannot be initiated solely on the basis of a request from a foreign head of state.