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Israel soldier Elor Azaria faces verdict over Hebron death Israeli soldier Elor Azaria convicted over Hebron death
(about 4 hours later)
An Israeli military court is due to give its verdict in the case of a soldier charged with manslaughter for killing a wounded Palestinian who had stabbed another soldier. An Israeli soldier filmed shooting dead a wounded Palestinian attacker after he had been disarmed of a knife has been convicted of manslaughter.
Sgt Elor Azaria, now 20, shot Abdul Fatah al-Sharif, 21, in the head while he was apparently incapacitated in Hebron, in the West Bank, last March. Sgt Elor Azaria, 20, shot Abdul Fatah al-Sharif, 21, in the head while he was lying immobile on a road.
The case has divided opinion in Israel. The incident happened in Hebron in the occupied West Bank last March, after another soldier was stabbed.
Many argue he must be punished for violating the military code of conduct. Others say his actions were justified. Sgt Azaria said he thought Sharif might have an explosive vest, but prosecutors said his motive was revenge.
The shooting happened during a wave of Palestinian stabbings last year. The high-profile trial has proven extremely divisive in Israel, says the BBC's Yolande Knell in Tel Aviv.
Palestinians and Israeli human rights groups said the case showed excessive force had been used to stop attacks, and accused Sgt Azaria of carrying out an extra-judicial killing. There have been rallies to support the soldier and some senior politicians backed Sgt Azaria. However, top military figures were quick to say that his actions did not reflect the values of the Israel Defence Forces (IDF).
In their indictment, prosecutors said Sgt Azaria had "violated the rules of engagement without operational justification as the terrorist was lying on the ground wounded and represented no immediate threat". In the incident on 24 March, Sharif and another 21-year-old Palestinian, Ramzi Aziz al-Qasrawi, stabbed and wounded an Israeli soldier before troops opened fire on them, wounding Sharif and killing Qasrawi.
Sharif and another Palestinian, Ramzi Aziz al-Qasrawi, had stabbed and wounded an Israeli soldier in Hebron on 24 March before troops opened fire on them, wounding Sharif and killing Qasrawi. Footage of the scene several minutes later, filmed by a Palestinian and released by the Israeli human rights group B'Tselem, shows Sharif alive.
Footage of the incident shows Sharif alive. A soldier, identified as Sgt Azaria, is then seen cocking his rifle and fatally shooting him from several metres away. A soldier, identified as Sgt Azaria, is then seen cocking his rifle and fatally shooting Sharif from several metres away.
Afterwards, Sgt Azaria told Israeli military police that Sharif's hand was within reach of the knife he used in the stabbings, and that he feared the Palestinian man might be wearing an explosive vest. In their indictment, prosecutors said Sgt Azaria "violated the rules of engagement without operational justification as the terrorist was lying on the ground wounded and represented no immediate threat for the accused or others who were present".
However, army investigators said that before he opened fire, Sgt Azaria had told a comrade that the wounded man "deserved to die" for stabbing his friend. Delivering the verdict on Wednesday, the panel of three military judges rejected Sgt Azaria's defence that he shot Sharif because he continued to pose a threat.
A separate video of the incident appeared to show the knife mentioned by Sgt Azaria in his police statement at least 1m (3ft) away from Sharif. He had told the court that he believed there might be a suicide belt under the Palestinian's jacket.
Surveys have suggested that many Israelis believe that shooting the attacker was justified, and rallies in support of the soldier have been held. The judges noted that Sgt Azaria's company and battalion commanders had testified that he did not mention the same concerns when they questioned him immediately after the shooting incident.
Sgt Azaria could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted, but some commentators have suggested that a sentence of four to five years was more likely. The judges also said there was no dispute regarding the veracity of the statements made by another soldier, who testified to military investigators that Sgt Azaria had told him during the incident: "They stabbed my friend and tried to kill him - he deserves to die."
Sgt Azaria told the court that he did not recall having any such conversation.
The judges also accepted the findings of a post-mortem examination, which concluded that it was the single bullet to the head that killed Sharif.
Palestinian leaders had called for Sgt Azaria to be brought to justice.
The shooting happened during a wave of knife, gun and vehicle ramming attacks by Palestinians or Israeli Arabs in Israel and the West Bank that have left at least 42 people dead since September 2015, according to the Israeli authorities.
Palestinian and Israeli human rights groups said Sgt Azaria's case showed excessive force was being used to stop such attacks.
Human Rights Watch said on Monday that there had been more than 150 instances since October 2015 in which Israeli security forces fatally shot Palestinian adults and children suspected of trying to stab, run over, or shoot Israelis.