Israeli defence minister seeks pardon for soldier who killed Palestinian
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has requested that President Isaac Herzog pardon Elor Azaria, a former Israeli soldier convicted for killing an incapacitated Palestinian in Hebron, Israeli media reported.
On 24 March 2016, Azaria killed Abdel Fattah al-Sharif while he was lying wounded and motionless on the ground, 11 minutes after he was shot by Israeli troops due to an alleged stabbing attempt.
Around one year later, Azaria was convicted of manslaughter, for which he was sentenced to 18 months in prison.
The soldier was released after 14 months by Gadi Eisenkot, the former Israeli chief of staff.
Katz’s letter to Herzog in support of Azaria’s request asks for an expungement, or the official erasure of Azaria’s criminal records.
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This is not the first pardon request to be submitted on behalf of Azaria, who has “no remorse whatsoever” for his crime.
A few months after Azaria was convicted, former defence minister Avigdor Lieberman sent a letter in support of a pardon request submitted by Azaria.
The lightening of the “excessively lenient” sentence was rejected by the former President Reuven Rivlin.
Katz said in his request that paying a heavy price for the crime “sends a negative message to our sons and daughters who are sent to face danger and serve in combat units and dangerous places”.
The request comes less than three months after the army approved the return of the Israeli soldiers accused of torturing and raping Palestinian detainee back to duty.
Herzog’s office confirmed receiving the request. “The Office of the President is awaiting the remaining opinions required to proceed with handling the request,” the statement said.
Both Eyal Zamir, the Israeli army chief of staff, and Major General Dado Bar Kalifa, the army personnel directorate chief, sent a letter stating that “the request should not be granted”.
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