TERRORIST'S KILLER GUILTY
Bibi: Pardon soldier in divisive case
An Israeli solder was convicted of manslaughter Wednesday for killing a prone Palestinian attacker — and just hours later, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recommended he be pardoned.
The Israeli leader weighed in on one of his nation’s most divisive political fights, taking sides in the case of Sgt. Elor Azaria, a 20-year-old army medic.
Azaria was caught on cellphone video in March shooting wounded 21-year-old Palestinian terrorist Abdel Fattah al-Sharif, who had just stabbed a soldier in the West Bank city of Hebron.
The attacker was on the ground and unarmed when Azaria shot him in the head, authorities said.
A three-judge panel ruled the young soldier guilty of manslaughter on Wednesday in a rare conviction of an active-duty Israeli soldier.
Azaria could still be pardoned by Israel’s largely ceremonial president, Reuven Rivlin.
Azaria’s sentencing is set for Jan. 15, when he faces up to 20 years behind bars.
“We have one army that is the basis for our existence. IDF [Israeli Defense Forces] soldiers are our sons and daughters, and they must remain above all disputes,” Netanyahu wrote on his Facebook page. “I support granting a pardon to Elor Azaria.”
Israeli military commanders condemned Azaria’s actions, but nationalist politicians have whipped up populist support for the soldier.
When the verdict was announced, Azaria showed no emotion as his supporters protested. A female relative was booted for yelling at judges and another woman stormed out yelling, “Disgusting leftists!”
As the judges left the courtroom, Azaria’s mother cried out, “You should be ashamed of yourselves!”
“They didn’t give any weight to the evidence,” Azaria family spokesman Sharon Gal said after the verdict.
“It was like the court was detached from the fact that this was the area of an attack. I felt that the court picked up the knife from the ground and stabbed it in the back of all the soldiers.”
Supporters of Azaria — many waving the nation’s flag and one carrying a Donald Trump “Make America Great Again” banner — scuffled with security forces outside the courthouse. Officials pleaded for calm. “I ask we all respect the court’s ruling and show restraint,” Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said.
“What is important — despite the harsh verdict — is that the defense establishment help the family and this soldier. I call on the public to not lambaste the IDF and the defense establishment. We must respect the ruling.”