A resident of the capital was taken into custody and questioned by police over a Facebook post in which the man lambasted the military court which convicted Sgt. Elor Azariya on Wednesday for his March 24th, 2016 killing of a wounded terrorist.
Investigators say the young man’s post may constitute incitement to violence, and that the state prosecutor had approved the investigation.
A pair of surveys conducted after Wednesday’s verdict show a majority of Israelis oppose the court’s decision, and more than two-thirds believe Azariya should be granted clemency.
Fifty-one percent of Israelis say they disagree with the court’s decision, compared to 36% who agree with it, according to a poll by the Midgam Research Institute. The poll also shows that 67% of Israelis back a pardon for Azariya, while just 19% oppose.
A second poll, by Gal Hadash, shows 70% of Israelis support a pardon, compared to 19% who oppose.