The IDF has officially concluded that the circumstances of Elor Azaria's case do not warrant expunging his criminal record. The position, reached by the Military Advocate General, the Manpower Directorate, and the Chief of Staff, has been forwarded to Defense Minister Israel Katz.
The IDF has formally concluded that the circumstances of Elor Azaria's case do not warrant expunging his criminal record. The position, reached by three senior military bodies — the Military Advocate General, the Manpower Directorate, and the Chief of Staff — was forwarded to Defense Minister Israel Katz on Tuesday. Katz will now decide whether to recommend a presidential pardon to President Isaac Herzog.
As The Zioneer reported earlier Tuesday, Defense Minister Katz had submitted his own opinion to President Herzog supporting the expungement, while the IDF Chief of Staff and military justice opposed the request. At 11:51 Jerusalem, the President's Office said it had not yet received the IDF assessments. Former defense minister Moshe Ya'alon, who resigned over the 2016 affair, also expressed openness to considering the erasure of Azaria's record, as The Zioneer reported at 11:58 Jerusalem. The timeline began Monday evening, when Katz approached IDF legal officials for a rapid opinion and was reportedly inclined to recommend a pardon, as The Zioneer reported Monday at 23:43 and 20:50 Jerusalem.
Azaria, a former Kfir Brigade soldier, was convicted of manslaughter in 2016 for shooting an already-wounded Palestinian attacker in Hebron. He served nine months of an 18-month sentence. The defense minister's recommendation will now be weighed against the IDF's formal opposition, with the president holding final authority on the pardon.
President Herzog has not yet responded to the pardon request. The president's office has not indicated a timeline for a decision, and the IDF's formal opposition now rests with Katz for a recommendation.
5 developments
- StrongKatz seeks swift IDF opinion on expunging Elor Azaria's criminal record
- DevelopingPresident's Residence says it has not yet received IDF assessments on Azaria record expungement request
- DevelopingDefense minister leans toward erasing Elor Azaria's criminal record, report says
- DevelopingYa'alon: 'Room to consider' expunging Elor Azaria's criminal record
Source and signal
- Internal intake