Israel's president, Isaac Herzog, has pardoned Elor Azaria, a former combat medic who was convicted of manslaughter for shooting a severely wounded Palestinian attacker in 2016. The incident took place in Hebron, a city in the West Bank, where Azaria shot Abdel Fattah al-Sharif in the head after the attacker had stabbed a soldier and was lying on the ground, unarmed and badly injured. The act was captured on a cellphone video, which sparked significant public and legal debate. Azaria served two-thirds of his 18-month sentence before being released earlier this year. In his first interview after his release, Azaria said he would make the same decision again if faced with the same situation. President Herzog cited the recommendation of Defense Minister Israel Katz, along with the passage of time and the approaching Yom Kippur, or Day of Atonement, as key factors in his decision. Katz described the pardon as “right, humane, and fitting,” emphasizing that Azaria had been part of a “complex operational mission” during the incident. Azaria's case was notable because it was one of the few instances where a military court ruled against a soldier for using lethal force in the field. Top Israeli military officials had supported the conviction, while many members of the public had expressed sympathy for Azaria, with some even protesting outside his trial. Israel's hard-line National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, praised the pardon, calling it an emotionally significant moment for Azaria. Some Palestinian groups and human rights organizations had previously criticized Azaria's 18-month sentence as being too lenient. President Herzog emphasized that the pardon does not reflect a reassessment of the legal case itself, but rather a decision based on broader considerations, including the time that has passed and the religious significance of Yom Kippur.