Israel President Pardons Elor Azaria, Soldier Who Shot Wounded Palestinian in Hebron

Israeli President Isaac Herzog has pardoned former combat medic Elor Azaria, nearly a decade after he was convicted of manslaughter for shooting dead a wounded Palestinian attacker in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron.

The decision on Saturday effectively clears Azaria’s criminal record years ahead of schedule. His record would otherwise have remained until 2032. Herzog said he considered the time that had passed, the completion of Azaria’s prison sentence, his personal and family circumstances and his expressed regret. The decision also came ahead of Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement.

The pardon followed a recommendation from Defence Minister Israel Katz, who described it as a “right, humane, and fitting decision”. Katz said Azaria had been serving in a “complex operational mission”. He also said the decision sent a message that Israel does not abandon its soldiers.

However, the move came despite opposition from Israel’s military leadership. Chief of Staff Lt Gen Eyal Zamir and other senior officers had objected to the request, citing Azaria’s failure, in their view, to fully express remorse and accept responsibility for the shooting.

The case dates back to March 2016, when Azaria was serving as a military medic in Hebron. Palestinian attacker Abdel Fattah al Sharif had stabbed and wounded an Israeli soldier before being shot and incapacitated. A cellphone video later showed Azaria approaching al Sharif, who was lying wounded on the ground, and shooting him in the head.

Azaria was convicted by a military court in 2017 and sentenced to 18 months in prison. His sentence was later reduced, and he served about nine months before being released in 2018. The case became one of Israel’s most divisive debates over military conduct, with senior military officials supporting his prosecution while many Israelis rallied behind him.

After his release, Azaria said in an interview that he would “act exactly the same, because that’s how I needed to act”. On Saturday, he thanked Herzog, Katz, his family and his lawyer after learning about the pardon.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir welcomed the decision, saying he was “very happy” that the criminal record of someone who killed a terrorist had been cancelled. Palestinians and human rights groups, meanwhile, have previously criticised Azaria’s sentence as too lenient.

Herzog stressed that the pardon does not overturn the original legal proceedings or amount to a reassessment of the case. His office said the presidential pardon was an act of compassion and was intended to allow Azaria to begin a new chapter in his life.

Azaria also remains subject to separate US restrictions, including an entry ban imposed under US law, according to Israeli media reports.