World
Israeli President Pardons Soldier Who Killed Wounded Attacker
President Isaac Herzog has cleared the criminal record of a former soldier who shot a Palestinian man who was already hurt and unable to fight back.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog speaking at an official event.
By John Doe
Reporting from Israel 
Sept. 20, 2026, 2:53 p.m. - 7 hours ago
Israel’s President, Isaac Herzog, has decided to pardon a former soldier named Elor Azaria. This decision clears Azaria’s criminal record.
This story goes back to 2016. At that time, a Palestinian man attacked someone with a knife. Israeli soldiers stopped the attacker and shot him. The man was lying on the ground, wounded and unable to move or fight back. While the man was lying there, Azaria walked up and shot him in the head.
Azaria was later found guilty of manslaughter by a military court. He served some time in prison for the act.
President Herzog’s decision to grant this pardon goes against the advice of the Israeli military. The army had argued against letting the soldier off the hook, saying his actions were wrong and broke their rules.
By clearing his record, the President is essentially closing the book on the case. It is a controversial move that has brought up old debates in Israel about how soldiers should act and the rules of war.
Source: CNN
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