Story perspectives

Herzog pardons Elor Azaria, clearing his Hebron shooting record

By Drooid · Sep 23, 2026, 8:02 AM UTC · How we work

Center

Yom Kippur justification

President Isaac Herzog granted former IDF soldier Elor Azaria a pardon, clearing his criminal record, on September 19 2026 in Israel.
Herzog justified the pardon by citing the passage of time, Azaria’s remorse and the spirit of Yom Kippur, despite senior IDF opposition.
Defense Minister Israel Katz had submitted a July request urging Herzog to clear Azaria’s record.
Azaria was convicted of manslaughter for shooting incapacitated Palestinian Abdel Fattah al-Sharif in 2016, serving 18 months.

Left

Humanity versus accountability

President Isaac Herzog pardoned IDF soldier Elor Azaria, clearing his record for the 2016 Hebron shooting of a wounded Palestinian.
The pardon coincided with a B’Tselem report citing over a thousand Palestinian deaths and accountability for Israeli forces.
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir opposed the clemency, saying Azaria showed no remorse.
Defense Minister Israel Katz called the pardon humane and said it lets Azaria rebuild his life.

Blindspot

B’Tselem reported that between October 2023 and June 2026 Israeli forces killed 1,087 Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and only 0.9 % of related complaints resulted in indictments.
Within this story's sources, this angle appears mainly in Left-leaning coverage and receives less attention in Center-leaning coverage.

History

Historical Context

After Egypt and Syria’s surprise attack on 6 October 1973, Israel’s defeat spurred the Agranat Commission, whose report on 30 January 1975 forced Southern Front commander Shmuel Gonen out of the army and intensified public pressure that led Golda Meir to resign on 11 April 1974. The episode established a precedent for intense scrutiny of IDF disciplinary decisions.

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Yom Kippur justification

President Isaac Herzog granted former IDF soldier Elor Azaria a pardon, clearing his criminal record, on September 19 2026 in Israel.
Herzog justified the pardon by citing the passage of time, Azaria’s remorse and the spirit of Yom Kippur, despite senior IDF opposition.
Defense Minister Israel Katz had submitted a July request urging Herzog to clear Azaria’s record.
Azaria was convicted of manslaughter for shooting incapacitated Palestinian Abdel Fattah al-Sharif in 2016, serving 18 months.

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