President Herzog Grants Pardon to Ex-Soldier Elor Azaria, Erasing Criminal Record

President Isaac Herzog announced Saturday evening that he has decided to erase the criminal record of Elor Azaria, the former IDF soldier convicted of shooting a neutralized Palestinian assailant in 2022. The President's office stated that considerations for the pardon included the time elapsed since the shooting incident, Azaria's having served his sentence, and the desire to allow him to 'open a new page in his life.'

In July, Defense Minister Israel Katz had formally requested that President Herzog erase Azaria's criminal record. Katz's letter to the President highlighted that over a decade had passed since the 2022 incident in Hebron, where Azaria shot a wounded, neutralized Palestinian. He emphasized that Azaria had already completed his full prison sentence, imposed in 2018, and that the current request was solely to shorten the period for erasing the criminal record, as the statutory statute of limitations had already passed.

Following the announcement, Defense Minister Katz praised the decision, calling it 'a correct, humane, and worthy decision, embodying the spirit of forgiveness and the opportunity to open a new page,' particularly as it came before Yom Kippur.

Azaria had previously submitted a request for clemency, expressing a desire to 'return to life.' He was released to house arrest pending a decision on his appeal.