JERUSALEM, April 26 (Reuters) - Israeli President Isaac Herzog said on Sunday he would not consider Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's pardon request in his long-running corruption case until all possible efforts to reach a plea agreement had been exhausted, suggesting a decision was not imminent.

Netanyahu's legal troubles, which began with investigations nearly 10 years ago, have divided Israelis and shaken the political landscape during five election cycles between 2019, when he was indicted, and 2022. The next election is scheduled to take place by the end of October 2026.

Netanyahu denies the charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust.

Herzog said on Sunday that reaching an agreement would be the best solution in the Netanyahu affair.

He added in a statement that for this reason he believes "that before considering the pardon request itself, all possible efforts must first be exhausted to reach an agreement between the parties, outside the courtroom."

Herzog's office released the statement after The New York Times reported on Sunday that the president intends to initiate mediation to reach a plea agreement, which would postpone any pardon decision for the time being.

A spokesperson for Herzog declined to comment on the statement when asked whether there had been any attempt to finalize the agreement. Netanyahu's office did not respond to a request for comment.

Netanyahu submitted the pardon request in November. Under Israeli law, the president has the power to pardon convicts. However, there is no precedent for granting a pardon during a trial.

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly called on Herzog to grant Netanyahu a pardon, one of those calls being in March during the Iran war, when the trial was suspended.

Netanyahu is scheduled to appear in court again this week as the trial that began in 2020 resumes. He is the first Israeli prime minister to be indicted on criminal charges while in office.