President Isaac Herzog announced an updated special pardons policy that has been coordinated with Defense Minister Benny Gantz, Justice Minister Gideon Sa’ar and the IDF in the spirit of the Ten Days of Repentance, when Jews try to atone for their sins.
Herzog and his wife, Michal, who is a criminal lawyer, toured the IDF Education Corps Havat Hashomer military base on Monday with Gantz. Afterward, Herzog called on all IDF soldiers with criminal convictions from their youth – who have since undergone a full and successful rehabilitation process during their military service – to submit requests to the President’s Office to have their criminal records erased as part of the new policy.
During his visit, Herzog met soldiers with criminal records as well as others whose records he has already erased.Concern for the future of good soldiers who were once juvenile delinquents was one of the initial issues to which Herzog, who is also a lawyer by profession, gave priority when he first entered office. It bothered him that the mistakes of youth could cloud the future of adults who had become good citizens.
His pardons announcement is intended to raise awareness among soldiers and national service volunteers with criminal convictions from their pre-service period – who have expressed remorse and undergone rehabilitation during their service – that they have the option of asking the president for a pardon, in order to erase their criminal records.
The pardons policy is designed to allow these young citizens to take control of their lives and to no longer be labeled criminals. The presidential pardon will remove barriers to employment and ease integration into civilian life. The possibility of a pardon will also encourage wayward teenagers to join the IDF, or to perform civilian volunteer service.
As part of the new policy, a special IDF committee headed by the commander of the Educations Corps will encourage all soldiers who fit the criteria to come forward so they can be offered assistance in filing a request. The policy applies only to young people who have undergone a process of rehabilitation as testified by their commanders and other professionals.
The special committee, headed by the commander of the Education Corps along with other experienced personnel, will interview soldiers requesting pardons and forward recommendations to the president.
Herzog noted that the Ten Days of Repentance in the Hebrew calendar are a period for a second chance, and said this moment in time highlights the need for society and the state to offer the possibility for a second chance, for reform and for forgiveness. In the lives of those young Israelis who cannot escape a life of hardship, the institution of the pardon is one of compassion, and one of Israel’s most important social foundations.
As a former Welfare and Social Services Minister in two governments, Herzog is familiar with the reasons for juvenile crime and has therefore focused on the pardons policy.
Since entering office, Herzog has erased the criminal records of 19 soldiers.
One of the soldiers Herzog met on Monday whom he recently pardoned was 22-year-old St.-Sgt. Moshe Elmaliah, who was convicted of various property offenses in his youth. After he was served an indictment, a juvenile court decided to give him a chance and directed him to the Malkishua drug rehabilitation village. There, he underwent a process of rehabilitation over two-and-a-half years, during which he even achieved a full bagrut (matriculation) certificate.
Elmaliah waged a protracted struggle to enlist in the IDF and was eventually accepted and placed at the Havat Hashomer Base, where he is currently completing service in the Golani Brigade. His commanders report that he has been an exemplary soldier who has exercised initiative, commitment and responsibility, takes care of the soldiers in his company, and acts as their big brother.
Herzog recently considered the request of a soldier from the Engineering Corps who had become involved in crime as a youth and had been convicted of violent offenses. His commanders reported that he was an upstanding and highly valued soldier who had undergone a meaningful process of rehabilitation and had even been promoted to command roles in a combat unit.
During his military service, the soldier was awarded a certificate of excellence, and toward the end of his service, on Independence Day in 2021, he was also among the 120 outstanding soldiers who annually receive an award from the president. It goes without saying that Herzog pardoned him.
The special pardons policy was launched in its current format by former president Reuven Rivlin in 2007. In the context of this policy, 363 pardons requests have been submitted to date, of which 300 were accepted and some are still being processed.
Soldiers may seek a presidential pardon by filling an online form at gov.il/he/service/pardon_request, sending an email to haninot@president.gov.il, writing to the President’s Residence at HaNasi 3, Jerusalem, 9218801, or by fax to (02) 588-7227. Alternatively, they may apply through the Defense Ministry by emailing rishump.kahar@gmail.com or calling (054) 212-1071.
Soldiers are invited to apply independently or through the education or welfare staff in their unit. Soldiers are eligible to apply after two years (for men) or a year and a half (for women) of military service, and no later than half a year after their release from the IDF. Lawyers are requested to apply only through the online form.