Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that he remained in favor of a pardon for soldier Elor Azaria who shot and killed the wounded Palestinian youth Abdulfattah al-Sharif. Netanyahu’s statement came after soldier Azaria was sentenced to 18 months in prison for manslaughter radio Israel reported.
Netanyahu said that he calls for pardoning al-Sharif’s killer because “it was necessary to take into consideration the difficult circumstances soldiers are thrust into when they have to make extremely difficult decisions”.
Netanyahu also told reporters who are escorting him during his visit to Australia that difficult circumstances involve empowerment of soldiers and security forces to defend themselves in violent acts.
