⚖️ Herzog’s decision on Elor Azaria: President Isaac Herzog signed an order Saturday night, September 19, ahead of Yom Kippur, immediately shortening the period before Elor Azaria’s criminal record is expunged. He accepted Defense Minister Israel Katz’s recommendation, contrary to the military’s position.
Herzog cited the passage of approximately a decade, Azaria’s completed sentence, the long-expired limitation period relating to his offenses, changed personal and family circumstances, complex family medical circumstances and employment barriers. He also considered the earlier sentence reduction by then-IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot.
Azaria expressed regret, including over the affair’s serious consequences, affirmed his respect for IDF values and said he wanted to raise his two young children according to them. In an earlier request to then-President Reuven Rivlin, he said that, based solely on retrospective analysis, the shooting had been an operational mistake and that, in hindsight, he would not have carried it out.
Herzog framed the decision around rehabilitation, reconciliation and mercy, concluding that Azaria had served his sentence and paid his debt to society. He stressed that clemency was not an appeal or reconsideration and did not undermine the judicial proceedings. He affirmed the military justice system’s role in protecting the rule of law, IDF values and strict adherence to purity of arms. Azaria likewise said he did not seek to reopen the case.
🗳️ Opposition politics: On “Meet the Press,” Ahmad Tibi pledged to work with Eisenkot’s bloc to replace Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana and endorse the bloc’s candidate, saying they would “do more than just endorse” to replace Netanyahu’s government. He subsequently said they would go further than ever to replace Netanyahu and that replacing Ohana was only the beginning.
Speaking on the same program, Lieberman said Eisenkot was trying to look out for himself at the bloc’s expense. “I’m worried he’ll become Benny Gantz 2.0,” he said, adding: “there’s no need to panic over a single poll.”
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