Chief of Staff Gen. Rafael Eitan has reduced the sentence on a soldier who has spent most of his time in the army in prison for refusing to serve or train in occupied areas.
Private Gadi Elgazi had served four months in detention on five charges within his unit for refusing to go to a training camp across the “Green Line”, and was then sentenced by the Tel Aviv District Military Court to a year in prison which was upheld by the Supreme Court.
There has been considerable agitation for Elgazi’s release and last Thursday Eitan reduced the sentence to six months, suspending the remainder for three years to be implemented if the soldier again refuses to serve in occupied territory.
It is not known whether the army will keep him within the borders of Israel proper or again send him for training and service across the Green Line.
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