Herzog deserves our support in trying to achieve plea bargain, end Netanyahu trial saga - editorial

President Isaac Herzog's quiet diplomacy in seeking a negotiated end to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's protracted corruption trial deserves the nation's full backing. The Jerusalem Post editorial board firmly believes that pursuing such a resolution is not a capitulation to injustice, but a necessary step for Israel's well-being.

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Herzog deserves the country’s full support in finding a negotiated end to the Netanyahu trial after six years.

For six years, Israel's political landscape has been inextricably linked to this trial. Coalitions have formed and fractured, and national discourse has been dominated by the proceedings. This has occurred alongside significant national challenges, including a war on multiple fronts, the ongoing inquiry into the October 7 massacre, and the profound agony of the hostage families. The constant focus on the trial has warped the national lens through which these critical issues are viewed, a condition that is fundamentally unhealthy for a democratic society.

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The country has spent six years organizing its politics around a single defendant.

Critics on the Right decry any plea deal as a validation of what they deem a baseless prosecution, demanding acquittal or nothing. However, acquittal is not guaranteed, and clinging to this maximalist stance risks prolonging the trial for another three to five years without the promised vindication. Similarly, those on the Left, who insist on conviction or nothing, must acknowledge that conviction is also uncertain, and continued legal battles will keep Netanyahu at the center of Israeli politics from the defendant's bench.

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That is not a healthy condition for a democracy, and pretending otherwise is its own form of denial.

The editorial argues that a plea bargain, while accepting an imperfect outcome, offers a real resolution. The terms are crucial, and the ideal scenario involves Netanyahu pleading to charges carrying moral turpitude, which would trigger a seven-year ban from public office. This approach prioritizes the country's stability and ability to move forward over rigid adherence to principles that paralyze national progress. It is a pragmatic path that allows Israel to finally turn the page on this draining chapter.

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The maximalist position on both sides protects a principle and sacrifices the country.