Israeli President Isaac Herzog pardons ex-soldier Elor Azaria over 2016 Hebron shooting

Presidential pardon and record expungement

Israeli President Isaac Herzog approved a pardon on Saturday, 19 September 2026, expunging the criminal record of former soldier Elor Azaria. The decision eliminates a record that otherwise would have remained active until 2032 under standard statutory periods. Herzog stated that the move was granted in response to a petition submitted by Azaria in July, citing the approaching Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur as a factor in the timing. The presidency stated that Azaria, who is now a father of two, had faced the legal consequences of the incident over the course of a decade. Defence Minister Israel Katz formally supported the clemency petition, describing the step as appropriate given the operational conditions of the original event.

“The circumstances, the time that has elapsed, and the regret expressed by Azaria justify allowing him to open a new chapter in his life.”

The 2016 Hebron shooting

The conviction stems from an incident in the West Bank city of Hebron on 24 March 2016. Two Palestinian men carried out a knife attack against Israeli soldiers at a military checkpoint, wounding one serviceman before troops opened fire. Soldiers killed one attacker and shot 21-year-old Abdul Fattah al-Sharif six times, leaving him incapacitated and lying on the road. Azaria, an Israeli military combat medic, arrived at the checkpoint approximately six minutes after the initial clash. Roughly eleven minutes after al-Sharif had been shot and subdued, Azaria fired a single shot into al-Sharif's head at close range, an action captured on video by a field activist.

Judicial proceedings and early release

The video footage led to an investigation by military authorities and a subsequent manslaughter trial. During his court proceedings, Azaria asserted that he believed al-Sharif might have been concealing an explosive vest, an argument military judges rejected. In 2017, a military court convicted Azaria of manslaughter and sentenced him to 18 months in prison, while military prosecutors had requested a term of three to five years. Azaria entered prison and served nine months before gaining release on parole in May 2018, having been granted permission to exit two days early to attend his brother's wedding. Following his release, Azaria publicly maintained that his conduct during the incident had been necessary.

“I would act exactly the same, because that's how I needed to act.”

Division between military leadership and political figures

The clemency decision produced conflicting reactions among Israeli defence officials and political leaders. The military chief of staff, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, sent a letter in July opposing the expungement on grounds that Azaria had not demonstrated genuine accountability. In contrast, right-wing members of the governing coalition welcomed the move, pointing to the passage of time and the context of military combat operations. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir expressed satisfaction with the presidential action in an official statement on Saturday evening.

“This position is based on several considerations, notably the fact that the applicant has refrained from expressing remorse and assuming responsibility for his actions, even a decade after his conviction.”

“Cancelling the criminal record of someone who killed a terrorist makes me emotional and very happy.”