Minister vows to 'stand by' solider tried for Hebron shooting

Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman vowed Monday to "stand by" Sgt. Elor Azaria, who is facing manslaughter charges over the March shooting on an incapacitated terrorist in Hebron. "We will stand by the soldier, even if he made a mistake. We are obligated to support him and give him all the help he needs," Lieberman said.

Speaking in a conference in Ariel, Lieberman said he expects the court hearing Azaria's case "to ignore the noise and judge according to the facts, without pressure from the Left or Right."

Lieberman called on the public "not to convict anyone prematurely. ... We are still far from a decision, but unfortunately many in politics and in the media have already convicted him [Azaria]. This isn't right. We already found him guilty from the beginning, only afterward trying to prove his innocence, the exact opposite of what I expect. I call on the broad public, and specifically on the military, to first and foremost not convict anyone prematurely. This is a clear message. The military tribunal must rule independent of one stance or another, independent of any pressure."

Lieberman has expressed support for the soldier from the early stages of the case, even attending some of the preliminary hearings in a show of support.

Meretz MK Issawi Frej criticized Lieberman, saying that he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were "neck and neck in the competition to destroy democracy. There is no limit to the cynicism. There is no limit to the incitement."

The defense minister also spoke about the eviction of Amona, an outpost near Ofra, ruled illegal by the High Court of Justice.

"There is an incontestable court ruling regarding Amona, and therefore there is no chance Amona will remain as it is today, built on private Palestinian property," he said. "Every one of the [court] orders that apply to Amona applies to other places as well. It's unacceptable that part of Israeli society and the international community respects court rulings only when they are against Jewish residents, and protest when they are against Palestinians. ... We must understand that there cannot be a different law for Jews and Palestinians. Israel has a rule of law -- we will respect court rulings, whether in favor of this side or the other."

Also on Tuesday, senior defense officials warned the Amona's eviction, scheduled for December, may bring unrest to the area.

"There is concern of provocation and 'price-tag' acts by hilltop youth and radical right activists," one official said, warning of potential settler violence.

According to defense sources, preparations for the eviction are the responsibility of the Prime Minister's Office, the Shin Bet security agency, the military and the police. The Prime Minister's Office and Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories Maj. Gen. Yoav Mordechai have already contacted settler leaders and rabbis in an effort to reach an agreement that would prevent riots.

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