Defense Minister Israel Katz is reportedly inclined to recommend that the president expunge the criminal record of former Kfir Brigade soldier Elor Azaria, a decade after the high-profile Hebron incident. Azaria appealed to Katz in a letter in recent days; the minister has sought a swift IDF legal opinion on the matter.
Defense Minister Israel Katz is reportedly leaning toward recommending that President Isaac Herzog expunge the criminal record of Elor Azaria, the former Kfir Brigade soldier convicted in 2017 of manslaughter for shooting a neutralized Palestinian attacker in Hebron. The move comes a decade after the incident that divided Israeli society. According to a report by journalist Hillel Bitton Rosen, Azaria sent Katz a personal letter in recent days; Katz has since approached IDF legal bodies for a swift opinion. Azaria told Channel 14: "I hope the record is finally erased and I can live my life with dignity." The matter remains at the preliminary stage, with no final decision or formal recommendation yet.
2 developments
- DevelopingDefense Minister Katz signs cancellation of Elor Azaria's criminal record; decision now to President
- DevelopingDefense minister leans toward erasing Elor Azaria's criminal record, report says
- DevelopingYa'alon: 'Room to consider' expunging Elor Azaria's criminal record
- DevelopingPresident's Residence says it has not yet received IDF assessments on Azaria record expungement request
Source and signal
- Open-source intake