jerusalem israel president sunday turn pardon request ex-conscript serve serve 14-month jail term kill incapacitate palestinian assailant september israel military reduce four months 18-month jail term elor azaria catch videotape shoot dead palestinian lie wound take part stab attack israeli soldier occupy west bank city hebron march 2015. statement issue president reuven rivlin office say review plea azaria already receive reductions sentence would right grant pardon president believe ... additional reduction punishment would undermine strength military value state israel part statement read add president understand azaria due face parole board shortly could release three months time 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 azaria say shoot abd elfatah ashareef fear palestinian could carry another attack court-martial find contradictions testimony convict manslaughter verdict uphold appeal right-wing minister lawmakers include defence minister avigdor lieberman criticize rivlin decision say pardon azaria president rivlin opportunity end affair rock israeli society lieberman write beyond price soldier family pay ... believe ... need heal rifts society ... must forget case azaria exemplary soldier face terrorist come kill discharge military azaria go prison august appeal arm force chief lieutenant-general gadi eizenkot reconsider sentence cite cost family acrimonious trial response letter 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 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 president reject pardon appeal soldier kill prone palestinian assailant