As Elor Azariya's trial sets to move into its final stage, the accused soldier's defense team has one more card to play: senior IDF officials who are willing to testify on his behalf.
Channel 2 news reports that Azariya's defense team will call to the witness stand Brigadier General (Reserves) Shmuel Zakai, General (Reserves) Dan Biton, and General (Reserves) Uzi Dayan.
Zakai wrote on Facebook in the past that "the hysterical reaction" to Azariya's action is "treacherous and most unprofessional," citing the pressures of a live terror situation. "The soldier shot a terrorist who had already proved his intent to cause harm."
Elor Azariya is accused of unnecessarily shooting and killing a wounded terrorist in Hevron.
When he took to the witness stand at the end of last month, Elor explained his concerns, citing the heavy, concealing jacket the terrorist was wearing (which might have concealed a bomb).
Elor claims he feared for the safety of everyone around, as the terrorist was still in reach of the knife, and was surrounded by soldiers and medics who could have been injured or killed had he detonated a suicide belt