The murder of District Court Judge Adi Azar, which occurred over two decades ago, remains one of the defining and most shocking events in the history of the Israeli justice system. According to a report by Alon Hachmon and Gilad Morag in 'Maariv', the complex investigation revealed an unprecedented motive: Judge Azar was not murdered against the backdrop of a legal case he was managing, but as a random victim chosen by two life-term prisoners with the goal of shaking the state.
The original plan, as detailed in the verdicts, was to use the murder of a senior figure to create a 'bargaining chip'. After committing the act, the perpetrators planned to offer the authorities critical information on the location of the murder weapon—a pistol with a silencer—in exchange for a dramatic reduction in their sentences and the release of one of the prisoners. The plot, which the district court described as a scene from a horror film, was carried out when Rafi Nachmani, who was released on furlough, acted on behalf of Yitzhak Zuziavili.
According to investigation findings, the two conducted surveillance on several potential targets from the law enforcement system and chose Azar due to the ease of tracking his daily routine and the location of his residence. The murder was committed near the judge's home without anyone in his household hearing the shots, a fact that led Tel Aviv Central District investigators to a quick conclusion regarding the use of a silencer. The key to cracking the case was not found in Azar's files, but following an approach by Zuziavili's representatives to the Attorney General, in which 'assistance' in locating the gun was offered in exchange for a retrial.
The undercover investigation, which lasted about three months, led to the arrest of those involved, the testimony of a state's witness, and eventually the conviction of the two for murder and a life sentence. In the ruling, the judges emphasized that the victim was not connected to the criminals and was a 'convenient victim' for the sake of the distorted goal. Following the case, a fundamental policy change was decided regarding the furlough of life-term prisoners. The case illustrates the vulnerability of judges in office and the attempts by criminal elements to use extreme violence as a means of pressure on state institutions.