Defense Minister Israel Katz has approached IDF legal officials for a rapid opinion on expunging the criminal record of former Kfir Brigade soldier Elor Azaria, who was convicted of manslaughter in 2016. Azaria sent Katz a letter in recent days; the minister is reportedly inclined to recommend a presidential pardon, according to a report on Channel 14.
Defense Minister Israel Katz has escalated the process of potentially expunging Elor Azaria's criminal record, a decade after the soldier shot and killed an already-wounded Palestinian attacker in Hebron in 2016. According to Channel 14 and another source cited by the desk, Katz approached IDF legal officials for a rapid opinion after receiving a letter from Azaria in recent days. Katz is reportedly inclined to recommend to President Isaac Herzog that the record be expunged, a move that would remove a key barrier to Azaria's ability to work and travel. Azaria, a former Kfir Brigade soldier, was convicted of manslaughter and served nine months of an 18-month sentence. The issue has remained politically sensitive ever since. As The Zioneer reported earlier this evening, this is not the first time Katz has signaled a favorable stance on the matter; the minister is reportedly acting after years of frustration and delay from previous defense ministers.
2 developments
- DevelopingDefense minister leans toward erasing Elor Azaria's criminal record, report says
- DevelopingMK Gilad Kariv calls on Defense Minister Israel Katz to revoke recognition of Hesder yeshivas that refuse armor service
- DevelopingDefense Minister Katz formally requests Knesset debate on immunity from arrest for yeshiva students
- DevelopingIsrael's Katz: Campaign against Iran far from over; IDF ready to strike Iran with great force
Source and signal
- Internal intake