Ex-defense minister: Politicians ‘cynically exploiting’ Hebron shooter verdict

Following the manslaughter conviction on Wednesday of an IDF sergeant for shooting dead an incapacitated Palestinian assailant, former defense minister Moshe Ya’alon slammed Israeli politicians for “cynically exploiting” the case to score political points.

The Jaffa Military court earlier Wednesday convicted Sgt. Elor Azaria, 19, for shooting dead a disarmed and wounded Palestinian who, minutes before, had stabbed two other soldiers.

Responding to the verdict, Ya’alon, who had previously condemned Azaria’s actions, said that lawmakers harmed the soldier and his family during the divisive trial.

“Today, with the conviction, we can say that the IDF and the Azaria family were seriously harmed by politicians who have betrayed their office,” Ya’alon said. “

The criminal process that the soldier Elor and his family have experienced has been too difficult to bear, should have looked different, should have been managed differently. The reason for its dragging out in a way that made it difficult for everyone involved is the cynical exploitation of the case by politicians for their own personal gain.”

“Rather than being leaders, they used Elor and his family as a political pawn for a few more seats. They lied to you. I am ashamed of those politicians,” Ya’alon added.

Azaria was filmed shooting Abdel Fattah al-Sharif on March 24, 2016. The footage, which was published online shortly after the incident by the left-wing advocacy group B’Tselem, sparked an intense debate in Israel about military discipline and ethics in the midst of a wave of Palestinian terror attacks that began in September 2015.

The incident set off a clash between then-defense minister Ya’alon and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who called for “balance” in the legal proceedings.

“As the father of a soldier and as prime minister, I would like to reiterate: The IDF backs its soldiers,” Netanyahu said a month after the shooting, angering Ya’alon and top military brass.

Ya’alon hit back at the comments soon after, delivering a speech urging IDF officers to continue speaking out against the “extremist minority” who, he said, were working to undermine the values of Israel’s military. The address earned him a summons by Netanyahu and he was replaced a short time later with Yisrael Beytenu head Avigdor Liberman, amid the PM’s efforts to expand and strengthen his coalition.

Ya’alon resigned after Netanyahu gave his ministerial position to Liberman in a maneuver the prime minister claimed was aimed at bolstering his coalition but was seen by many as retribution for Ya’alon’s criticism.

Since leaving office, Ya’alon has periodically criticized both Netanyahu and Liberman for their conduct over the trial.

In July, responding to pointed comments by Liberman about his handling of the case, Ya’alon slammed the new defense minister for acting like a “gang leader” in his public support of Azaria.

“I did not associate with the criminal proceedings in any way whatsoever. I did not make a pilgrimage to the court as a gang leader — forgive me for saying — in order to apply pressure,” he said Wednesday, referring to a protest outside the court attended by Liberman — and other MKs from his Yisrael Beytenu party — before he was appointed minister.

Liberman on Wednesday said that he did not like the verdict, but that it had to be accepted and respected.

Last month, Ya’alon again slammed Netanyahu for his stance over the case, claiming that “the prime minister switched sides and decided to embrace the soldier and his family.”

Certain politicians “saw an opportunity, decided to declare the soldier a hero and started spreading rumors against the prime minister, against me and against the IDF,” Ya’alon said, during an gathering of high school seniors, pointing to the initial upheaval after the event.