Herzog Clears Elor Azaria’s Remaining Criminal Record Ahead of Yom Kippur

President Isaac Herzog ordered the immediate shortening of the remaining deletion period for former IDF soldier Elor Azaria’s criminal record ahead of Yom Kippur. Herzog accepted Defense Minister Israel Katz’s recommendation, citing time elapsed, completion of Azaria’s sentence, changed family circumstances and employment obstacles. The President’s Office said the clemency decision does not invalidate or reopen the military-court proceedings, while Walla reported that IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir opposed it. Azaria was convicted of manslaughter for fatally shooting Abdel Fattah al-Sharif in Hebron in 2016 after al-Sharif had stabbed an Israeli soldier and was incapacitated.