Hebron region security officer Lt.-Colonel (reserves) Eliyahu Liebman took the stand in the manslaughter trial of IDF Sgt. Elor Azariya, acting as a witness for the defense.

He gave testimony for about three hours in the Jaffa Military Court during which time he made his position clear, there was no justifiable basis for the charges and trial against Azariya. Attorney Katz, a member of the defense team, told the court how the defendant was also a soldier cited by former IDF Chief of Staff Moshe Ya’alon for excellence for his actions in an incident at nearby Worshipers’ Path between Hebron and Kiryat Arba. He said that in his capacity as Defense Minister however, it was Ya’alon who acted as he did, stacking the deck against Sgt. Azariya and compelling the charges filed against him and the subsequent trial.

The defense also plans to call a number of retired IDF major-generals to testify on behalf of Azariya, who the military prosecutor is trying to portray as a soldier who shot a wounded terrorist dead shortly after he perpetrated a terror attack as being guilty of manslaughter for his actions.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)