Two Arrested for Threatening Judges in Azaria Case

Police overnight Wednesday arrested a Yerushalayim resident who was accused of inciting violence in the wake of the conviction of IDF soldier Elor Azaria earlier Wednesday on manslaughter charges.

The detainee was questioned over a social media post that police said incited to violence against the judges in the case, with “extremist criticism” of the decision. The post, according to Channel Ten, said that the chief judge in the case, Maya Heller, “will not live out the year.”

A second person, a resident of Kiryat Gat, was arrested on similar charges Thursday morning, Channel Two reported. That suspect was released after questioning.

The rare conviction of a soldier for operational conduct has deeply divided Israel and led to an unprecedented campaign in support of Sgt. Elor Azaria and against the military establishment.

In protests outside the courtroom, demonstrators chanted veiled death threats against military chief Lt. Gen. Gadi Eizenkot, who supported charging the soldier. The trial’s three military judges and the lead prosecutor have also faced threats and have been assigned bodyguards.