Army judges will announce their verdict Wednesday morning in the case of Sgt. Elor Azariya, the IDF soldier accused of manslaughter over the death of an Arab terrorist in Hevron late last March.
Azariya’s parents arrived at the army’s Kirya base in Tel Aviv ahead of the reading of the decision, which is expected shortly after the judges gather at 10:00 a.m.
Wednesday’s verdict caps off the nine-month saga of Sgt. Azariya, whose case riveted the Israeli public and sparked a fierce debate over use-of-force regulations in the IDF and the proper handling of terrorists during attacks.
At the heart of the decision is the question of whether judges will accept the argument made by the defense that Azariya opened fire on the wounded terrorist out of fear for his life and the lives of his comrades.
Azariya testified that the terrorist, who was wearing an unseasonably heavy jacket at the time, was moving in a suspicious manner, raising concerns that he was reaching for an explosive device. Video recordings from the scene show soldiers and emergency first responders shouting that the terrorist appeared to have a bomb.
The prosecution has claimed, however, that Azariya was motivated not by fear but a desire for revenge after his comrade was wounded by the terrorist and his accomplice just minutes before the shooting.
Should Azariya be found guilty, his sentence will likely be handed down in February.
Large numbers of Azariya’s supporters are expected to gather outside of the military court on Wednesday, and some 350 police officers have been deployed around the building to ensure no disruptions take place.