Elor Azaria after being sentenced
Azaria's sister 'ashamed' over court's sentencing of her brother
Following sentencing of her brother for the manslaughter of a neutralized terrorist, Eti Azaria slams country, lauds her brother on Facebook: 'I am ashamed of my country. Elor, you are our hero.'
The sister of Sgt. Elor Azaria—who was sentenced to 18 months in prison
on Tuesday after he was convicted
in January of manslaughter of a terrorist—posted a scathing statement on her Facebook page against the judicial system and the state for the punishment meted out against her brother.
“Eighteen months in prison, without taking into account the arrest my little brother has already been under!!!,” wrote Eti Azaria shortly after the judicial proceedings. “I am ashamed of my country. Elor, you are our hero. We will continue to fight.”
Elor Azaria sentenced (Photo: Tomer Appelbaum)
At the conclusion of the sentencing at the military court in the Kirya base in Tel Aviv, the Azaria family stood up in the courtroom and began singing the Israeli national anthem, which was joined by supporters.
Indeed, even the chief prosecutor Lt. Col. Nadav Weissman was seen standing as they burst out into song before Charlie Azaria, Elor’s father, shouted, “You are a hero” at his son.
Shortly thereafter, Azaria’s defense teams heaped criticism on the proceedings. Attorney Yoram Sheftel, who joined the defense after Azaria was convicted in January, accused the military prosecution of being “thirsty for Elor’s blood” throughout the entire trial.
“The prosecutor tried for about half an hour to convince the court not to suspend the punishment by 11 days.”
'Death to terrorists' (Photo: Reuters)
Sheftel also addressed the claim that Azaria had said after shooting the terrorist, who had carried out a stabbing attack moments earlier in Hebron, that he stabbed his friend and therefore deserved to die. “That never happened,” he insisted.
Azaria supporters assemble outside (צילום : אבי חי)
Meanwhile, as the judges prepared to hand down the sentence, around 500 Azaria supporters assembled outside the courtroom in solidarity with the soldier, among them the famous singer, Ariel Zilber, who wrote a song about Azaria.
While the gatherings were largely peaceful, in contrast to the violent outbreaks that transpired when Azaria was convicted, they were not devoid of threatening chants and slogans.
“If you don’t return our boy, we will the state upsidedown,” some called out. “Death to terrorists,” and “release the boy,” others shouted.
Azaria will begin serving his sentence on March 5.
