Israeli soldier goes on trial for killing wounded Palestinian attacker

9 May 2016 Middle East

The trial of an Israeli soldier charged with manslaughter after killing a wounded Palestinian attacker has opened at a military court in Jaffa.

Sgt Elor Azaria, 19, shot Abdul Fatah al-Sharif in the head while the 21-year-old was apparently incapacitated in Hebron, in the West Bank, in March.

The soldier denies violating the Israeli military's rules of engagement without operational justification.

The incident, which was caught on video, has divided opinion in Israel.

Human rights groups say Sgt Azaria carried out an extra-judicial killing, while thousands of people who believe he did nothing wrong attended rallies in support of him last month.

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