President Herzog pardons IDF soldier Elor Azaria

Israeli President Isaac Herzog has granted clemency to former Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldier Elor Azaria, shortening the period before his criminal record is erased. The decision was made despite opposition from senior military leadership, including the IDF Chief of Staff.

Azaria was convicted of manslaughter for the 2016 killing of 21-year-old Palestinian Abdulfattah al-Sharif in Hebron. Video footage showed Azaria, then an IDF medic, shooting al-Sharif in the head while the latter was wounded and incapacitated on the ground. Azaria served nine months of an 18-month prison sentence and received a demotion and probation.

The President’s Office cited the passage of time, the completion of his sentence, changed personal and family circumstances, and Azaria’s expressed remorse as reasons for the pardon. The decision has sparked controversy, with Palestinian protesters and the Palestinian Authority criticizing the move, while the victim's family had previously sought a life sentence.