Israel's President Forgives Soldier Who Killed Wounded Attacker

President Isaac Herzog pardoned — forgave — ex-army medic Elor Azaria on 19 September 2026. Azaria was convicted in 2017 of manslaughter, or unlawful killing, for shooting dead wounded, unarmed Palestinian attacker Abdel Fattah al-Sharif in Hebron. Herzog acted on Defence Minister Israel Katz’s advice, citing time passed and nearing Yom Kippur, a Jewish holy day, without reopening the case.