IDF military prosecutors are reportedly planning a sentencing deal to be offered to the family of Sgt. Elor Azaria in exchange for abandoning an appeal of his conviction on a charge of manslaughter.
The case has dragged on for months in the public eye, creating a media circus that has torn Israeli society apart.
Azaria was convicted by a military tribunal Wednesday in a trial that sent numerous citizens in the country into a frenzy of outrage against the panel of judges and IDF top brass, prompting officials to upgrade security around the judges.
The combat medic shot and killed an Arab terrorist who was already injured and lying on the ground after he stabbed an Israeli soldier in Hebron. Abdel Fattah el-Sharif and a second terrorist had carried out an attack against a group of Israeli soldiers who were deployed in the Judean city in March 2016. The second attacker was shot and killed immediately. But el-Sharif was lying injured on the ground when Azaria walked over to him, after a soldier in his unit was taken with stab wounds to a hospital. Azaria shot el-Sharif in the head at point-blank range.
He faces sentencing in February on a conviction that currently could bring him up to 20 years in prison, and has deeply divided Israeli society.
Israeli lawmakers from both sides of the political spectrum have called for a pardon, and Azaria’s attorneys have said they will appeal the conviction.
If they instead opt to accept a deal, Azaria will serve a far shorter prison term, but according to a report on Israel’s Channel 2 television news, he will definitely do some jail time.
It’s not clear whether or not he would be eligible to apply for a pardon under such circumstances.