Israeli Soldier Convicted in Death of Palestinian Attacker
Israeli Soldier Convicted in Death of Palestinian Attacker
.. The shooting was captured on video and quickly became a focus of the controversy ..
.. Using knives, guns and vehicles, Palestinians carried out more than 300 attacks against Israelis between September 2015 and last summer. More than 40 people were killed and hundreds wounded in the assaults, according to Israeli officials. More than 200 Palestinians were also killed, most after attacking Israelis, Palestinian officials said.
.. During Mr. Azaria’s trial, prosecutors argued that he was fully in control of his actions when he shot the Palestinian. He posted anti-Palestinian views on social media before joining the army, Israeli media reported.
Mr. Azaria’s lawyers argued that he acted in self-defense, fearing the attacker might still be able to trigger an explosive vest.
In an August 2016 survey conducted by Tel Aviv University and the Israel Democracy Institute, 65% of Israeli Jews said Mr. Azaria’s actions were justified under the circumstances, while 25% supported the military’s view.