Officials said Israel helped arm and back Yasser Abu Shabab’s Popular Forces, part of a strategy against Hamas, before a local clan killed him this week.

I first interviewed Herzog, who hails from a storied Israeli political family, after Trump made his pardon push but before Netanyahu had formally requested one. Herzog praised the U.S. president, including for his work to bring hostages back from Gaza — but also made clear that any pardon was an internal matter.