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| Israeli soldier jailed for 18 months for killing Palestinian attacker | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| An Israeli soldier who killed a wounded Palestinian attacker in a high-profile case that split opinion across the country has been jailed for 18 months. | |
| Sgt Elor Azaria was found guilty of manslaughter for shooting dead 21-year-old Abdul Fatah al-Sharif in Hebron, in the occupied West Bank, last March. | Sgt Elor Azaria was found guilty of manslaughter for shooting dead 21-year-old Abdul Fatah al-Sharif in Hebron, in the occupied West Bank, last March. |
| Azaria had told a colleague that Sharif, who had stabbed another soldier, "deserved to die". | Azaria had told a colleague that Sharif, who had stabbed another soldier, "deserved to die". |
| Military chiefs condemned his actions, but others praised them. | Military chiefs condemned his actions, but others praised them. |
| The offence carries a sentence of up to 20 years, though prosecutors had called for Azaria to be jailed for between three and five years. | |
| Dozens of right-wing protesters had gathered outside the Tel Aviv Defence Ministry headquarters, where the hearing took place. | |
| Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he would support any decision to pardon Azaria. | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he would support any decision to pardon Azaria. |
| The killing received widespread coverage after footage of the incident, filmed on a mobile phone, was shown on Israeli news programmes. | The killing received widespread coverage after footage of the incident, filmed on a mobile phone, was shown on Israeli news programmes. |
| It showed Azaria cocking his gun and firing at the head of Sharif, who was lying apparently incapacitated on the ground after being shot and wounded following the stabbing attack. | It showed Azaria cocking his gun and firing at the head of Sharif, who was lying apparently incapacitated on the ground after being shot and wounded following the stabbing attack. |
| The military court which tried Azaria dismissed his claim that he had acted out of fear that Sharif might have been wearing an explosive vest. | The military court which tried Azaria dismissed his claim that he had acted out of fear that Sharif might have been wearing an explosive vest. |
| The killing occurred amid a wave of attacks by Palestinians that had killed 29 Israelis over the preceding five months. | The killing occurred amid a wave of attacks by Palestinians that had killed 29 Israelis over the preceding five months. |
| Following the incident military chiefs and the prime minister came under fire from right-wing sections of society - including members of Mr Netanyahu's cabinet - for criticising Azaria's actions. | Following the incident military chiefs and the prime minister came under fire from right-wing sections of society - including members of Mr Netanyahu's cabinet - for criticising Azaria's actions. |
| Mr Netanyahu later telephoned Azaria's father to offer reassurance. | Mr Netanyahu later telephoned Azaria's father to offer reassurance. |