Herzog Erases Record of Soldier Who Killed Wounded Palestinian

Israeli President Isaac Herzog cleared the criminal record of former soldier Elor Azaria on Saturday. This decision comes more than ten years after Azaria killed a wounded Palestinian in the occupied West Bank. The move follows a request by Defense Minister Israel Katz to erase the record after the sentence was served.

Azaria shot Abdel Fattah al-Sharif in Hebron in March 2016 while the Palestinian lay wounded on the ground. An Israeli military court later convicted him of manslaughter and sentenced him to eighteen months in prison. He was released in May 2018 after serving approximately nine months due to an early release decision.

The president’s office stated that the time passed and completed sentence influenced the choice. Officials noted the intention to allow Azaria to open a new chapter in his life. They emphasized that this administrative act does not undermine or cast doubt on the original judicial proceedings or the conviction itself.

However, the army reported that Azaria refrained from expressing remorse for his actions. Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir opposed the request, citing this failure to accept responsibility. Despite such military opposition, Katz welcomed the decision, saying it would help the former soldier move forward with his personal life and future prospects.

Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir praised the erasure, describing Azaria as having eliminated a terrorist. The case had previously triggered sharp divisions within Israel between military figures and politicians. Critics view the incident as a significant test of accountability for Israeli forces accused of unlawfully killing Palestinians in occupied territories.