The halacha states that a kohein who kills someone cannot continue to "duchin" - to bless the people with the daily birkat hakohanim. Such a person, a murderer, whose hands spilled blood, cannot be one to transmit the blessings of Hashem via his hands.
There is even a dispute about a kohein who murdered and then repented, whether after his repentance if he can give the blessings or not.
Someone, because of this halacha, and in light of the current wave of terror taking place in Israel, with civilians sometimes being the one to take down the terrorist, asked the Chief Rabi of Israel, Rav Yitzchak Yosef, whether a kohein who killed a terrorist can duchin or not.
The question asked was not just theoretical, but was asked by someone, a kohein soldier, who killed a terrorist recently in Jerusalem.
Once a soldier is asking this question, I must wonder if this question has already been asked regarding kohein IDF soldiers who kill while in battle, if they can duchin later. I am sure it must have been, though I have not seen the discussion on it.
Back to the question at hand... Rav Yosef responded that one who kills a terrorist would be considered as one acting in self-defense, and is even performing a mitzvah, and can definitely continue to raise his hands in blessings afterwards.
source; INN
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