Tel aviv: Israeli President Isaac Herzog has officially cleared the criminal record of Elor Azaria, a former soldier who was previously convicted of killing a wounded Palestinian in the occupied West Bank. This decision comes over a decade after the high-profile incident, despite Azaria's refusal to express remorse for his actions.

According to Anadolu Agency, Herzog's decision followed a request from Defense Minister Israel Katz, who advocated for the erasure of Azaria's criminal record. The president's office explained that the decision considered the significant time elapsed since the incident, Azaria's completion of his prison sentence, and a desire to allow him to "open a new chapter in his life." Herzog emphasized that this action was not meant to undermine the judicial process or cast doubt on the legal proceedings of the case.

KAN, the Israeli public broadcaster, reported that the Israeli army noted Azaria's lack of remorse and responsibility for his actions. Despite this, Katz, who initially requested the record clearance in July, expressed satisfaction with Herzog's decision, viewing it as an opportunity for Azaria to move forward.

The case, which dates back to March 24, 2016, involved Azaria, then an Israeli soldier, shooting and killing Abdel Fattah al-Sharif in the Tel Rumeida area of Hebron. Al-Sharif was wounded and lying on the ground when the incident occurred. Azaria was convicted of manslaughter by an Israeli military court in January 2017 and sentenced to 18 months in prison. The sentence was later reduced by four months by then-Israeli army chief Gadi Eisenkot, and Azaria was released in May 2018 after serving approximately nine months, thanks to an early release decision.

The case sparked intense debate and division within Israel, with senior military officials supporting the prosecution while many politicians and public figures called for Azaria's pardon.