This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/21/world/middleeast/elor-azaria-israel-sentence.html
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Elor Azaria, Israeli Soldier Who Killed Wounded Assailant, Gets 18 Months in Prison | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| JERUSALEM — An Israeli soldier who shot an incapacitated Palestinian attacker in the head was sentenced to 18 months in prison on Tuesday, in a case that has divided Israelis and prompted calls for his pardon. | JERUSALEM — An Israeli soldier who shot an incapacitated Palestinian attacker in the head was sentenced to 18 months in prison on Tuesday, in a case that has divided Israelis and prompted calls for his pardon. |
| Col. Maya Heller, a judge speaking on behalf of a military panel in Tel Aviv, reminded the defendant, Sgt. Elor Azaria, that his conviction for manslaughter was “grave” and that he could have faced up to 20 years in prison. | Col. Maya Heller, a judge speaking on behalf of a military panel in Tel Aviv, reminded the defendant, Sgt. Elor Azaria, that his conviction for manslaughter was “grave” and that he could have faced up to 20 years in prison. |
| “The acts of the defendant are serious,” the judge said, according to a pool report from Israel Radio. “The accused damaged the purity of arms which is so holy” in the Israel military. “There is a need to safeguard humanity.” | “The acts of the defendant are serious,” the judge said, according to a pool report from Israel Radio. “The accused damaged the purity of arms which is so holy” in the Israel military. “There is a need to safeguard humanity.” |
| Sergeant Azaria, now 20, was convicted in January by a panel of military judges for the death of Abdel Fatah al-Sharif in Hebron in March. Widely shared video showed the sergeant shooting Mr. Sharif, who was lying still on his back, in the head. Mr. Sharif and another Palestinian had stabbed and wounded an Israeli soldier at a checkpoint. Israeli soldiers killed the other man and wounded Mr. Sharif. | Sergeant Azaria, now 20, was convicted in January by a panel of military judges for the death of Abdel Fatah al-Sharif in Hebron in March. Widely shared video showed the sergeant shooting Mr. Sharif, who was lying still on his back, in the head. Mr. Sharif and another Palestinian had stabbed and wounded an Israeli soldier at a checkpoint. Israeli soldiers killed the other man and wounded Mr. Sharif. |
| During the trial, Sergeant Azaria’s commander testified that he had asked him who had authorized him to shoot the man in the head. “The terrorist was alive, and he has to die,” Sergeant Azaria replied, according to the commander. | |
| The case has been closely followed in Israel, debated with emotion on all sides. Critics say the events showed a callousness to Palestinian life in a conflict with no signs of being resolved. Some Israelis supported the sergeant’s actions, while others said he should not have been punished for putting his life on the line in the military; service is required for most young Israelis and held in high esteem in the country. | |
| Prosecutors had asked for a prison sentence of three to five years. In addition to the 18 months, the panel sentenced Sergeant Azaria to a one-year suspended sentence. Judge Heller noted that the defendant had a clean record but also that he had not expressed any remorse for the killing. She said he “took it upon himself to be both judge and executioner.” | Prosecutors had asked for a prison sentence of three to five years. In addition to the 18 months, the panel sentenced Sergeant Azaria to a one-year suspended sentence. Judge Heller noted that the defendant had a clean record but also that he had not expressed any remorse for the killing. She said he “took it upon himself to be both judge and executioner.” |
| Politicians, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have called for Sergeant Azaria to be pardoned. His lawyers have said they would appeal any sentence. | Politicians, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have called for Sergeant Azaria to be pardoned. His lawyers have said they would appeal any sentence. |
| Reaction to the sentencing followed the divisions of the case. | Reaction to the sentencing followed the divisions of the case. |
| “This is a sad day, a harsh sentence,” said Miri Regev, minister of culture and sport and a former brigadier general. “I ask the chief of staff once again to pardon warrior Elor Azaria.” | “This is a sad day, a harsh sentence,” said Miri Regev, minister of culture and sport and a former brigadier general. “I ask the chief of staff once again to pardon warrior Elor Azaria.” |
| Samir al-Sharif, who identified himself as a family member of the slain man, said on Israel Radio: “We are tired of this. A person killed? What is a year and a half? Someone who kills someone by mistake on the road would be sentenced to a year and a half. How is it that a soldier who has a gun and kills a live person, he knew he was alive?” | Samir al-Sharif, who identified himself as a family member of the slain man, said on Israel Radio: “We are tired of this. A person killed? What is a year and a half? Someone who kills someone by mistake on the road would be sentenced to a year and a half. How is it that a soldier who has a gun and kills a live person, he knew he was alive?” |
| Sari Bashi, director for Human Rights Watch in Israel and the Palestinian territories, said in a statement, “Sending Elor Azaria to prison for his crime sends an important message about reining in excessive use of force.” | |
| “But senior Israeli officials should also repudiate the shoot-to-kill rhetoric that too many of them have promoted, even when there is no imminent threat of death,” Ms. Bashi continued. “Pardoning Azaria or reducing his punishment would only encourage impunity for unlawfully taking the life of another person.” |