Story highlights Israeli soldier Elor Azaria faces up to 20 years in prison

There have been calls from mostly right leaning politicians to pardon him

Tel Aviv, Israel (CNN) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he supports a pardon for Elor Azaria, an Israeli soldier convicted by a military court of manslaughter, in a case that is deeply dividing Israeli society.

Following Wednesday's court ruling, Netanyahu said: "This is a difficult and painful day -- first and foremost for Elor, his family, many citizens and parents of soldiers, me among them".

Azaria faces up to 20 years in prison for shooting subdued Palestinian stabbing suspect last March last March. Azaria denied the charges against him.

Israel's military chief of staff said that Azaria had violated the military's code of conduct and was obliged to abide it.

But politicians -- mostly right leaning -- have argued that Azaria's actions were justified and that he should never have faced prosecution for killing what they said was a terrorist.

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