Azaria prosecution witness among fresh list of IDF promotions
Pending approval from defense minister, IDF Chief Eisenkot approves promotion of senior military officials, including Lt. Col. David Shapira, whose testimony was instrumental in Azaria trial, and Lt. Col. Neria Yeshurun, who was reprimanded for ordering 'honor salvo' in 2014 against a Gaza clinic from where his subordinate had been killed by a sniper.
Pending the approval by Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman, Shapira, the former commander of the Kfir Brigade's Shimshon Battalion, will be promoted to commander of the Binyamin Brigade, part of the of the Judea and Samaria Division.
His testimony was instrumental in the development of Azaria’s arraignment as he told the courts that his shooting of the wounded terrorist Abed al Fatah a-Sharif lacked operational justification.
Shapira’s testimony carried significant value for the presiding judges, who also heard a sparkling character reference from him about his subordinate who was now in the dock.
"Elor stood out in the company and made an effort throughout his entire training. He was selected for recognition as an outstanding soldier in his company, and proved to be one of the best soldiers in the battalion. He did not have any disciplinary issues," Shapira said at the time.
Also appearing on the list is Lt. Col. Neria Yeshurun who was officially reprimanded in June last year for ordering the shelling of a clinic in the Gaza Strip during 2014's Operation Protective Edge in retaliation for the killing of an officer under his command.
Yeshurun's subordinate, company commander Captain Dima Levitas, was killed by a Palestinian sniper who was positioned in a medical clinic in Saja'iyya on July 22, 2014.
Members of his battalion, who could not attend the next day's funeral, bombarded the clinic from which the sniper shot Levitas on Yeshurun’s orders, who beforehand described over the radio the “honor salvo and salute" in memory of the fallen soldier.
With the new nomination, Yeshurun, who served as an Armored Corps battalion commander during the 2014 summer incursion, is on course to be promoted to the rank of colonel and appointed commander of the Yiftach Brigade, part of the Bashan Division, if approved by Lieberman.
Maj. Gen. Herzi Halevi, will also vacate his current position as Head of Intelligence to lead the IDF’s Southern Command, making way for Maj. Gen. Tamir Hayman—who has hitherto served as the commander of the Northern Corps and military colleges—to succeed him.
Maj. Gen. Nadav Padan has been approved by Eisenkot to take control of the IDF’s Central Command, after serving as head of cyber communications and defense.
