jerusalem israel military wednesday reduce four months 18-month jail term ex-soldier kill incapacitate palestinian assailant say service record warrant clemency though show remorse case march 2015 infantry conscript elor azaria catch videotape shoot dead palestinian lie wound take part stab attack israeli soldier occupy west bank city hebron azaria say shoot abd elfatah ashareef fear palestinian could carry another attack court-martial find contradictions testimony convict manslaughter verdict uphold appeal discharge military azaria go prison last month appeal arm force chief lieutenant-general gadi eizenkot reconsider sentence cite cost family acrimonious trial response letter make public wednesday military inform azaria eizenkot decide cut jail term ground compassion mercy ... take account past combat soldier operational theater letter also fault former soldier grave action take responsibility express regret add important message court rule heed azaria become right-wing cause celebre israel jewish men women draft 18 military service one poll find nearly half israeli jews believe palestinian attacker kill spot palestinian government say azaria jail term give israeli soldier green light kill impunity israeli law manslaughter carry maximum 20 years behind bar military prosecutors ask appeal court impose three- five-year sentence azaria turn israel cut jail term soldier kill prone palestinian assailant