President Isaac Herzog Pardons Former Soldier Elor Azaria

President Isaac Herzog pardoned former combat medic Elor Azaria on September 19, expunging his criminal record for the 2016 killing of a wounded Palestinian attacker. Azaria was convicted of manslaughter in 2017 after video evidence showed him shooting Abdel Fattah al-Sharif in the head while al-Sharif lay incapacitated on the ground in Hebron. Azaria served approximately nine months of a reduced sentence before his release in 2018.

The pardon followed a recommendation from Defense Minister Israel Katz and was timed to coincide with the Yom Kippur holiday. Herzog's office stated the decision was based on the time elapsed since the killing, Azaria's completion of his sentence, and subsequent employment difficulties. Herzog noted that the decision does not constitute a reassessment of the case.

The move overrules opposition from IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, who argued that the request should not be granted because Azaria had not expressed genuine remorse. Former Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon also criticized the pardon, noting that Azaria previously claimed he shot the attacker because he deserved to die.

The case has historically divided Israeli society and led to the resignation of Ya’alon. Additionally, the killing prompted the United States government to bar Azaria and his immediate family from entering the country in 2024.