Israeli President Isaac Herzog has pardoned former soldier Elor Azaria, clearing his criminal record for killing a wounded Palestinian in 2016 despite military objections.
Azaria shot Abdel Fattah al-Sharif in the head as he lay incapacitated in Hebron in the occupied West Bank.
Al-Sharif had been wounded after stabbing an Israeli soldier.
A military court convicted Azaria of manslaughter in 2017.
His original 18-month prison sentence was reduced to 14 months, and he was released in 2018 after serving about nine months.
Herzog’s office said the Sept. 19 pardon did not amount to a reassessment of the case.
It cited the decade since the killing, Azaria’s completion of his sentence, changes in his personal and family circumstances, and employment difficulties caused by his criminal record.
The decision followed a recommendation from Defense Minister Israel Katz and was welcomed by right-wing politicians.
Military chief Eyal Zamir had opposed the pardon, Israeli media reported.
In 2024, the administration of then-U.S. President Joe Biden barred Azaria and his immediate family from entering the United States over the killing.
