IDF soldier Elor Azaria, right, convicted on the manslaughter of a wounded Palestinian, is embraced by his mother Oshra at the start of his sentencing hearing in a military court in Tel Aviv, February 21, 2017. (AFP/POOL/ JIM HOLLANDER)
Military prosecutors are reportedly set to appeal the 18-month prison sentence given to the soldier who shot and killed a wounded Palestinian attacker last March in Hebron.
The appeal against Elor Azaria’s conviction is to be filed within three days, according to Hebrew reports on Sunday.
Prosecutors will reportedly argue that the sentence given to Azaria by the Jaffa Military Court was too light, given his conviction for manslaughter. They will ask for a sentence between 30-48 months, in line with the minority opinion of one of the three presiding judges.
The move comes days after Azaria’s own attorney, Yoram Sheftel, filed an appeal against the conviction and the sentence. Azaria’s other lawyers quit immediately after the appeal was filed, apparently over a dispute as to the best course of action to follow.
Lt. Col. Nadav Weissman, military prosecutor in the trial against IDF Sgt. Elor Azaria, speaks to press at the Kirya military base in Tel Aviv following the verdict of Azaria on January 4, 2017. (Miriam Alster/FLASH90)
The departing lawyers said in a statement that they believed Azaria would have been better served by pursuing a different route, an apparent reference to plans to request a pardon.
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Yoram Sheftel, defense attorney for convicted manslaughterer Elor Azaria, and Azaria’s father Charlie speak at a press conference on March 1, 2017 appealing Elor’s jail sentence. (FLASH90)
Azaria, 21, was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced last month for shooting dead Abed al-Fattah al-Sharif on March 24, 2016, minutes after Sharif and another man had carried out a stabbing attack on troops in Hebron, and as Sharif lay on the ground disarmed and bleeding after having been shot during the attack.
The incident and ensuing trial exposed divides in the country and became wrapped in political disputes.
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