The bereaved father who got into trouble and the fighter who ended up on the street: the people who received pardons this year
A profile piece by Israel Hayom, ahead of Yom Kippur, presents five cases of people who received pardons from President Isaac Herzog in 2026. Among the cases: a 73-year-old family doctor convicted of tax offenses whose sentence was commuted to community service; a former fighter who descended into drugs and homelessness and was rehabilitated; a bereaved father from the Druze community who lost his son to a Hezbollah rocket strike and had his fine canceled; a Border Police officer encouraging enlistment in Arab society; and a driver whose license was permanently revoked and is gradually being reinstated.
A profile piece by Israel Hayom, ahead of Yom Kippur, presents five representative cases of people who received pardons from President Isaac Herzog in 2026. The article quotes President Herzog saying, "We as a nation also have the duty to forgive... and to grant a true second chance." Among the cases: a 73-year-old family doctor, a widower and father of three, convicted of tax offenses and sentenced to 10 months in prison, whose sentence was commuted to nine months of community service due to complex life circumstances including loss, cancer, and post-trauma; a 38-year-old fighter who immigrated from Ukraine, experienced trauma in the Second Lebanon War, descended into drugs and homelessness, was rehabilitated in prison and started a family, and the President shortened his criminal record period under the "Bereishit" program; a 58-year-old bereaved father from the Druze community who lost his son and nephew to a Hezbollah rocket strike on a soccer field in 2024, suffering from post-trauma and depression, and received a cancellation of a fine for planning and building offenses under the Druze framework; a 54-year-old Border Police officer dedicated to encouraging enlistment in Arab and Bedouin society, whose wife is recognized as 100% disabled; and a 55-year-old driver who immigrated from the Soviet Union, became addicted to drugs and had his license permanently revoked, and after rehabilitation will be able to gradually return to driving. The article notes that since Rosh Hashanah 5786, about 1,176 decisions have been made on pardon cases, and in 36% of them the President granted the request.