Put yourself in the place of these soldiers. They are everyday Israelis who are conscripted for 3 years and have been trained to fight, but that does not mean that they are not human beings subject to human emotions.

Elor's first encounter with a terrorist who almost killed one of his friends. A moment ago there was a real danger of death. Now the terrorist is on the ground. Does he have a bomb under his coat or not?

What to do? Had no training in how to deal and search for bombs. Bomb squad has been called but hasn't come. Terrorist moving. Scared and emotional. He shoots to neutralize the terrorist.

Can we sit back and blame him for poor judgement? He was never given training in how and what to do.

So we put him on trial. We make him a spectacle.

Image how this ruins the morale in the IDF!

I don't see anything wrong with having an opinion and backing it up by helping the accused. It's a free country.

Just to address the 3 most glaring points of this sickening article:
(1) "help someone just because of their status and not their actions. " Tell you what. When you take a child at the age of 18 into the army for 3 years, and then to reserve duty for his adult life, and FORCE him to risk his life for the stare--that person has, as you write, "status". As I Jew, I kiss their feet for being the only thing between me and the rest of the world eager to "finish business".
(2) "When was the moral compass-which instructs us to look at the details of each case, and learn to differentiate between those who were wounded in battle and those whose life is full of suffering, and those who are suspected of criminal actions after violating explicit orders?"
Criminal actions? Really? Ask yourself why the overwhelming majority of Israelis feel that this soldier is a hero. Oh wait, maybe we should all adopt the NOTHING-yahu approach and do absolutely NOTHING, terror attack after attack after attack. "Good Jews" don't fight back and protect themselves, yes?

(3) "And how is it that the IDF is the most beloved institution in Israel, while its leaders are deeply hated?"

This rhetorical question implies that all the average people are idiots, while only the spineless leadership (that pays money to Turkish terrorists, for starters) knows what is best. Oh sure, the same "leaders" that wanted to surrender the Golan to butcher Assad. Good point, author.

SHAME SHAME SHAME on you for spewing such sickening drivel.

TURKISH BOMBER WAS SHOT. HE ROLLED OVER AND PRESSED THE BOMB CONTROL AND BLEW UP THE AIRPORT.

As you said: "he was trained to battle terrorists.' He wasn't battling a terrorist, because the terrorist had already been neutralized by other more competent soldiers who acted ethically and responsibly. Eliot acted immaturely out of anger as attested by witnesses. Israel is a country where law and order don't seem to be very popular or not very high on the priority list. Allowing boys (as you said) to use a gun as they please, without any strict rules is tantamount to creating a salvage culture where everyone kills as they see fit. I don't think that's the kind of society we want to build or live in.

Excusme but people have not a obcured perspective.
They rightly discern wich soldiers and officers worry more for their camarades and for the israeli people, and who worry more for the wellfare of the terrorist attackers. If obscured perspective exists is the ideological one as your own.
Weake up young man.

For all those who prefer to ignore law and order and foster anarchy over civility, I got just one thing to say: You can huff and you can puff all you want, but the outcome is quite clear: Elor will be in jail for a while. I personally think it's sad and I wish he wouldn't have wasted his youth because of his immaturity and stupidity, but the facts are clear: he had no rational or justifiable reason to do what he did. And I hope other soldiers will think twice before using their gun unnecessarily - for their sake and for our sake. I have no compassion for the terrorist, but I do not want Israeli society to give 19/20 year olds the authority to decide who gets to live and who gets to die. Implement death penalty if you want a fairer system, but don't let soldiers make that decision. Not fair for them or for anyone. Even if this young man were to get a free pass (which he won't), I can assure you having killed someone will affect him and haunt him for the rest of his life. How do I know that? I'm a psychoanalyst who has dealt with enough former soldiers (who killed people justifiably in combat) to assert that.

The IDF is comprised of young people who are willing to not only fight the enemy but, die in the process.
The pals throw their kids in as assassins and expect what? a heroes death as a 'martyr?'
One less terrorist pal to worry about.
Maybe you should give him a medal?
He's earned it.

Larry is right, we are all Monday night quarterbacking.

Soldiers in Hebron are filling the roles of policemen. A soldier's training is to fight a war. Soldiers kill to successfully win a war. 'Confirmation of a kill' may be required on the battlefield.

Policeman shoot to 'stop a threat'. In the US police have more options including the use of 'less lethal' equipment (tasers, etc). IDF soldier's do not have the same level of training or equipment for variable threats.

In Turkey the terrorist blew himself up, and others, after he was shot and thought to have been 'neutralized'. If Elor truely believed the terrorist had a bomb, his shooting was justified (and correct!). If the court finds he changed his story too many times, they will find him guilty.

If found guilty, given the extenuating circumstances, his punishment should be minimal. Perhaps a less than honorable discharge for poor judgement in trying circumstances, the officers present not taking appropriate command of the situation, etc...But no jail time. Just my opinion....