Israeli President Pardons Former Soldier Convicted of Killing Wounded Palestinian
· World · Al Jazeera, New York Times, NDTV
Israeli President Isaac Herzog has expunged the criminal record of former soldier Elor Azaria, who was convicted of manslaughter for killing a wounded Palestinian in Hebron in 2016. Azaria, then an army medic, was filmed shooting Abdel Fattah al-Sharif in the head while the latter lay on the ground. The military had opposed the pardon, with Chief of Staff Lieutenant-General Eyal Zamir citing Azaria's lack of remorse a decade after the incident. President Herzog’s office stated the decision was made in the spirit of Yom Kippur and followed a request from Defence Minister Israel Katz. Azaria previously served nine months of a 14-month prison sentence before his release in 2018.
Why it matters
The pardon has reignited domestic debate over military ethics and accountability, while drawing criticism for overriding the objections of senior military leadership.
Read the original report — Al Jazeera
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