Chief Rabbis: 'President Must Pardon Soldier Arrested For Leaking Documents'

By Arutz-7
Posted on 12/21/24 | News Source: Arutz-7

The Chief Rabbis of Israel, Rabbi David Yosef and Rabbi Kalman Ber, have requested President Yitzhak Herzog to grant a pardon to Soldier A, who leaked classified documents to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's spokesman, Eli Feldstein.

"The difficult decision made in his case is causing division within the nation. We see the presidency as a symbol of peace and unity. The soldier deeply regrets his actions. We join many others in urging you to use your authority to grant him a pardon," they said.

The soldier, through his attorneys, submitted a pardon request to President Herzog last Thursday, expressing remorse for his actions and stating, "I admit my mistake, have learned my lesson, and am truly remorseful."

The request emphasized that "His case presents special personal, legal, and public circumstances requiring the President's immediate intervention for his pardon, even before the end of his legal proceedings."

Shas party leader Aryeh Deri supported the pardon request and discussed it with President Herzog. Deri stated, "This is an ordinary soldier who made a mistake and admits it. He poses no threat to the public and should not continue to suffer prolonged detention."

The attorneys noted in the pardon request that the soldier is detained under "harsh and degrading conditions" and that "failing to halt the escalating situation could lead to unprecedented distrust and division between the public and law enforcement systems, potentially causing fears of foreign and irrelevant considerations. This deeply concerns us as a society, and thus, we request his pardon from the President immediately."