Israeli President Grants Pardon to Soldier Who Shot Palestinian Attacker

The Israeli president has issued a pardon for the sentence of a former soldier who, nearly a decade ago in the occupied West Bank, shot and killed a wounded Palestinian attacker in the head after a stabbing incident.

Details of the Pardon Decision

According to a statement from the Israeli President's Office, the former soldier was granted a pardon upon the recommendation of the defense minister. The passage of time and the approaching holiday period influenced the decision.

Past Trial Process

Following a trial in 2017, Elor Azaria was sentenced to 18 months in prison for manslaughter and was released after serving two-thirds of his sentence.

Development of the Incident

Abdel Fattah al-Sharif, who had stabbed a soldier in the city of Hebron, was shot in the head by Azaria while lying wounded and unarmed on the ground, and these moments were captured on a mobile phone camera.

Statements from Authorities

While the presidency stated that the former soldier had expressed remorse, the defense minister also defended the decision as humanitarian and correct. In contrast, the chief of staff had opposed the pardon decision.