Three ISDF generals were testifying on behalf of IDF Sgt. Elor Azria as the trial into the case of the soldier’s shooting of a subdued Palestinian terrorist continued at the Jaffa Military Court on Monday.
In what could possibly be the most consequential day of the trial so far, the generals are expected argue that Azaria’s actions were justified given the dangerous circumstances surrounding the incident.
The generals were also due to testify that they had seen worse behavior from soldiers in the past who had not been tried for criminal offenses in court.
Famed IDF Maj.-Gen. (res.) Uzi Dayan was one of the top military brass testifying on behalf of Azaria on Monday. Dayan took the stand in support of Azaria, saying all terrorists must be killed.
When asked, the reserve general dismissed the notion that killing a terrorist solely on the basis that he is a terrorist violates the rules of engagement.
“If you are in a mission in Syria you can shoot a terrorist anytime. If it is part of the mission, you can order a sharpshooter to shoot a terrorist even if there is no specific danger, if it helps the mission,” he stated in court.
There was a titanic battle between IDF Lt. Col. Nadav Weissman, Dayan and defense lawyer Ilan Katz over control of the questioning. Weissman has dominated witnesses on cross-examination, interrupting them and leading them as he desired with the judges taking his side over Katz; not with Dayan.
Katz slammed his hand on the table, saying Weissman cannot treat a major-general like Dayan as a criminal and the court instructed Weissman to give Dayan more space to answer questions as he wishes.
Dayan’s main points went as follows. He said this case should never have gotten to a criminal probe, or certainly not before a full command investigation was first completed.
He said military police are not sufficiently experts in operational matters and that criminal probes should not happen until a full command investigation sets the facts of what happened.
He expressed heavy concern that this case is harming the IDF every day it continues and harming future soldiers ability to defend themselves and know how to act.
Dayan added these bigger concerns are why he got involved, and that he has little to say about the specific facts relating to Azaria’s case. With regard to Azaria, he did say that it seemed that Azaria had at most made a mistake and that no mistake in a dangerous operational situation should lead to a manslaughter charge.
Confronted by a series of old cases from the late 1990s in which Palestinians were killed and criminal probes occurred under his command, Dayan said he did not recall the incidents.
He added he never ordered a criminal probe before a full command probe had occurred, but that it was possible that the Military Advocate General ordered a probe on his own.
Azaria is standing trial for manslaughter after he shot and killed Abdul Fatah al-Sharif on March 24, after the Palestinian had already been “neutralized” by two soldiers whom he had attacked.
Azaria said he shot Sharif suspecting he was wearing an explosive vest and accused the IDF commanders on the ground of failing to quickly call a bomb squad to check Sharif’s body before moving the body from the scene – a standard police procedure.
In the incident, the IDF said that it overrode police procedure, due to having generally established that Sharif posed no threat and experience that keeping an attack scene open for too long could lead to further attacks.
Throughout the case, IDF and police officials disagreed about whether it was wise or negligent to move Sharif before he was checked by a bomb expert
The trial that opened on May 9 has garnered nation-wide attention.
Jews are crazy to want to negotiate peace with this filth. They should use every opportunity to bring chaos, suffering and sorrow to these evil creatures…. best to drive out every last anti semite from the Jewish homeland. Not one anti semite should be allowed life in the Jewish homeland.
why isnt this scum locked up where he can be beaten by unknown assailants to a pulp… he and his family should be deported.
Jordan has repeatedly violated its treaty and privileges granted at the MOunt… they keep employing anti semites and incediary muslims. I think they do it intentionally… Israel needs to take back the Mount and if Jordan wants to break the treaty then destabilize them to IS and then drive the pals across the river to their proper home. If that is still a problem then bomb them back to iraq… what are those billions for if not to destroy ones enemies.
first boot the wakf after a good ass kicking
I agree with Trump when he said that terrorists families should also be killed.
the family needs to be wiped out to prevent familial revenge killings. Do what the preacher wants to others to his family instead.
So WHO trampled on Asariya’s rights??????……
Yaalon did it at Duma and at Hevron….
Mandebilt covers up the crimes……..
who is the wizard behind the curtain???????? 🙂
this is because the military investigators, the military prosecutors AND the military judges naturally took Yaalons public declarations of the soldiers guilt, prior to the commencement of the investigation, to be the equivalent of a military order to his subordinates.
except that Yaalon decided to abuse his political and military authority and use the soldier as a sacrifice to his agenda… and therefor CRIMINALLY instructed, clearly and without question, that the soldier was guilty even BEFORE investigation… Yaalon violated all ethics and protocol when he CRIMINALLY AND INTENTIONALLY embarked on his megalomaniacal vendetta. As his vendetta began at Duma, and jews are still suffering in jail for yaalons crimes, it is obvious that Yaalon engaged in a continuing, serial criminal enterprise… no error was involved in Yaalons crimes.
but Yaalon decided EVEN BEFORE the probe that his subordinates MUST find the soldier guilty to prepare him for sacrifice on the altar of Yaalons opportunistic quest.
true, they did this because their military commander Yaalon told them to do it…… even though it is known that military police are not criminal experts…. after all they were only following orders.
Yaalons abuse of authority AND obstruction and interference of the Justice process both at Duma and Hevron, has led to the revenge stabbings of Israelis, attacks on diaspora jews, false incarceration of innocent jews, the libeling of jews worldwide, the current wave of terror…. and now this lunatic is running for PM
A spotlight must be put on Mandebilt who has since opened and closed a number of seemingly trivial red herring investigation and yet has transparently ignored the plain sight criminal violations of Yaalon AND their consequences to Israel, the IDF and the Jewish people world wide. How can an AG so blatantly ignore these criminal facts without instituting an investigation which would surely lead to a criminal indictment… if not interfered with. Mandebilt is becoming the one who is covering up these criminal behaviors, instituting red herrings to distract from his ommission to do his duty. Such intentional ommission is itself criminal behavior. Israelis must demand that Mandebilt investigate Yaalons crimes.