President Isaac Herzog secretly met with journalist Jacob Bardugo, a confidante of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in late March to discuss the premier’s request for a pardon, Channel 12 news reports.

The nighttime meeting at an apartment in Shoham, which was not revealed to the public, took place shortly before Herzog urged dialogue between the sides on a plea bargain. It also came about after bitter criticism of Herzog by Bardugo on the pro-Netanyahu Channel 14 for not pardoning the prime minister, who has refused to admit wrongdoing despite High Court precedent indicating he must do so for a pardon.