Israeli Soldier's Appeal in Murder Case Rejected

An Israeli military court rejected the appeal of Elor Azaria, a soldier convicted of murder. According to the Telegraph, the incident that led to Azaria's arrest and conviction occurred in March 2016 in Hebron, West Bank. Azaria shot a Palestinian attacker 11 minutes after he was injured. The Israeli army believes that the shooting and killing of this Palestinian attacker, who was wounded and lying on the ground, was unnecessary. Military prosecutors described Azaria's action as 'improper use' of military power and sought his conviction. According to the New York Times, although military prosecutors requested a longer sentence for the soldier, the court upheld the original 18-month prison sentence. Azaria's lawyers argued that Abdul Fattah al-Sharif, the Palestinian attacker, moved after being injured, leading the Israeli soldier to believe he might use a suicide belt, which justified his shooting. However, the video released of the scene did not convince the court, and Azaria was ultimately convicted of murder. The presiding judge, Major General Doron Piles, stated regarding the conviction: 'Unnecessary and excessive use of prohibited weapons is forbidden, unethical, ineffective, and even harmful.' According to Piles, the Israeli military is an organized army that must act according to the law: 'When the danger has been removed, soldiers do not have the right to settle scores with terrorists.' Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu initially condemned Azaria's actions but later, seemingly influenced by sympathy from parts of Israeli society towards Azaria and his family, called for the soldier's pardon. After the appeal request was unsuccessful, Netanyahu announced that he would support Azaria if he sought a pardon. This murder and trial have become a controversial topic regarding military ethics and the fate of Palestinian offenders in Israel. Military service in Israel is mandatory, and both girls and boys reaching the age of 18 must serve at least two years in the army.