A young Israeli soldier convicted of killing a Palestinian assailant lying wounded on the ground was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment today, far less than prosecutors requested, in one of the most divisive cases in Israel's history. <br/><br/>The decision to court-martial Sergeant Elor Azaria, who shot the Palestinian after he had stabbed another soldier in the occupied West Bank last March, stirred controversy in Israel from the start, with opinion polls showing strong support for the soldier.<br/><br/>A military court last month found Azaria guilty of manslaughter, a crime that carries a top punishment of 20 years in jail.

A young Israeli soldier convicted of killing a Palestinian assailant lying wounded on the ground was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment today, far less than prosecutors requested, in one of the most divisive cases in Israel's history. <br/><br/>The decision to court-martial Sergeant Elor Azaria, who shot the Palestinian after he had stabbed another soldier in the occupied West Bank last March, stirred controversy in Israel from the start, with opinion polls showing strong support for the soldier.<br/><br/>A military court last month found Azaria guilty of manslaughter, a crime that carries a top punishment of 20 years in jail.