Elor Azaria's conviction for manslaughter and his release after serving two-thirds of his sentence drew enormous attention in Israel, where military service is compulsory for most Jewish men.

Elor Azaria's conviction for manslaughter and his release after serving two-thirds of his sentence drew enormous attention in Israel, where military service is compulsory for most Jewish men.

President Isaac Herzog in a statement said he acted on the recommendation of Defense Minister Israel Katz and cited the time that had passed, and the spirit of the approaching Yom Kippur, or Day of Atonement, as among the factors in his decision.

President Isaac Herzog pardoned former soldier Elor Azaria in the Hebron shooting case. The move revives a bitter Israeli debate over military accountability and public support for combat actions.

Israel's president on Saturday pardoned the combat medic who shot dead at close range a badly wounded Palestinian attacker who had stabbed a soldier in the occupied West Bank, a case that divided

Elor Azaria's conviction for manslaughter and his release after serving two-thirds of his sentence drew enormous attention in Israel