Large police forces will secure the Kirya compound in Tel Aviv ahead of the military court’s announcement of the sentence of Sgt. Elor Azaria at noon Israel time Tuesday. A large crowd of protesters is anticipated and police fear erupted violence. Undercover officers are expected to mingle with the crowd who will be cordoned off across the street from the court building.
In March 2015, Azaria killed a terrorist who had been neutralized and was lying on the ground in Hebron.
The Azaria family expects the court to accept the prosecution’s demand for a sentence of three to five years.
Azaria is expected to appeal his versict as soon as the sentencing is announced, and has bolstered his defense team to that end, hiring renowned attorney Yoram Sheftel. Sheftel won an appeal on behalf of concentration camp guard John Demjanjuk.