Israeli president clears criminal record of soldier convicted in 2016 killing

The short version

• Israeli President Isaac Herzog wiped the criminal record of former army medic Elor Azaria, who served nine months for the 2016 manslaughter of wounded Palestinian Abdel Fattah al-Sharif.[Al Jazeera]
• The pardon followed a request from Defence Minister Israel Katz and cited elapsed time, sentence completion, and expressed remorse ahead of Yom Kippur.[Al Jazeera]
• Military Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir opposed the move, arguing Azaria had not expressed remorse or taken responsibility for the shooting.[The Guardian · Al Jazeera]

Key facts

• Israeli President Isaac Herzog shortened the remaining erasure period on Elor Azaria's criminal record, effectively pardoning him.[Al Jazeera]
• Azaria fatally shot Abdel Fattah al-Sharif in the head in March 2016 after al-Sharif had stabbed a soldier and lay wounded on the ground for roughly 11 minutes.[Al Jazeera]
• Azaria was convicted of manslaughter in 2017 and served nine months of a reduced 14-month sentence before his May 2018 release.[Al Jazeera]
• The presidential office cited the passage of time, completion of the sentence, and remorse expressed in the spirit of Yom Kippur.[Al Jazeera]
• Military Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir opposed the pardon, stating Azaria had not expressed remorse or taken responsibility.[The Guardian · Al Jazeera]
• The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the 2016 shooting as an extrajudicial execution and a war crime.[Al Jazeera]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.

• Israel’s president pardons soldier who killed wounded Palestinian in 2016Al Jazeera
• Israeli president pardons combat medic who shot dead wounded Palestinian attackerThe Guardian - World