Jerusalem:Â In a trial that has split the nation, an Israeli soldier was found guilty of manslaughter on Wednesday for shooting and killing a Palestinian assailant as he lay unarmed and wounded on the ground in Hebron last March.
As the verdict was read out, violence broke out among several hundred right-wing protesters who had gathered outside the military court in Tel Aviv to show support for the soldier, Sergeant Elor Azaria, 20.
They, and many others in Israel, believe Azaria acted bravely killing a terrorist and should not have been put on trial for manslaughter but rather given a medal for his actions.
“This is not how we should treat our soldiers. A trial should not have happened in the first place, we are talking about a combat situation in which a terrorist was killed,” said Culture Minister Miri Regev. She said she would push for Azaria to be pardoned.
Read the full article by Ruth Eglash in The Sydney Morning Herald.