In 2016, Israeli soldier Elor Azaria was filmed shooting a Palestinian man, Abdel Fattah al-Sharif, in the head while the man lay wounded and incapacitated on the ground in Hebron. The incident sparked intense national debate in Israel, dividing the public between those who viewed the act as a violation of military ethics and those who saw Azaria as a soldier defending himself against a perceived threat.

Following a military trial, Azaria was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 18 months in prison. The case became a flashpoint for political discourse, with various government officials and public figures weighing in on the appropriateness of the military court's verdict. After serving a portion of his sentence, President Reuven Rivlin granted Azaria a pardon, effectively ending his incarceration.

While the pardon was welcomed by many supporters who argued that the soldier had been unfairly prosecuted for his actions in a combat zone, critics expressed concern that the decision undermined the rule of law and the Israel Defense Forces' (IDF) code of ethics. The legal proceedings and the subsequent pardon highlight the ongoing tension within Israeli society regarding the balance between military necessity and human rights obligations in the occupied territories.