Tel Aviv, Nov 01 (V7N) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s apology to President Isaac Herzog in an apparent attempt to be cleared of ongoing corruption cases has triggered widespread public anger, leading to protests in the capital.

Hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside President Herzog’s residence in Tel Aviv on Sunday, chanting slogans opposing any move to pardon the prime minister. Protesters accused Netanyahu of attempting to evade justice rather than face the legal process.

Netanyahu, 76, the longest-serving prime minister in Israel's history, has been facing trial for the past five years in three separate corruption cases involving allegations of bribery, fraud and breach of trust — all of which he has denied.

In a video message released on Saturday, Netanyahu said he was initially prepared to face the full judicial process but reconsidered his position “in the national interest.”

The president’s office said Herzog would consult judicial authorities before deciding on the matter.

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