Israel Enacts Controversial Death Penalty Law for Palestinians
Israel's parliament, the Knesset, has passed a highly contentious law that imposes the death penalty on Palestinians convicted of carrying out fatal attacks. This legislation, which has been sharply criticised as discriminatory by European countries and human rights organisations, marks a significant shift in Israel's penal policy.
Details of the Legislation
The new law establishes the death penalty as the default punishment for Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank who are found guilty of intentionally committing deadly attacks deemed acts of terrorism by a military court. According to the bill, individuals sentenced to death will be held in a separate facility with no visits except from authorised personnel, and legal consultations will be conducted only via video link. Executions are mandated to be carried out within 90 days of sentencing.
Historically, Israel has rarely used the death penalty, applying it only in exceptional cases, with the Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann being the last person executed in 1962. The national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, a strong proponent of the bill, has symbolised his support by wearing a noose-shaped lapel pin. He described hanging as "one of the options" for execution, alongside the electric chair or euthanasia, claiming that some doctors had offered to assist in the process.
Legal and International Implications
The measure allows courts to impose the death penalty without a request from prosecutors and without requiring unanimity, instead permitting a simple majority decision. Military courts in the occupied West Bank will be empowered to hand down death sentences, with the defence minister able to submit an opinion. For Palestinians under occupation, the bill closes off avenues for appeal or clemency, while prisoners tried inside Israel could have their sentences commuted to life imprisonment.
Critics, including military officials and various ministries, have warned that the bill could breach international law and expose Israeli personnel to arrest abroad. Once enacted, the law formally enters into force but can still be reviewed and potentially struck down by Israel's supreme court.
Reactions and Condemnations
During the voting session, Ben-Gvir delivered a passionate speech, describing the law as long overdue and a sign of strength and national pride. He declared, "From today, every terrorist will know, and the whole world will know, that whoever takes a life, the state of Israel will take their life." The chamber erupted into cheers upon the measure's passage, with Ben-Gvir brandishing a bottle in celebration, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sat motionless after voting in favour.
Israel's leading rights groups have decried the law as "an act of institutionalised discrimination and racist violence against Palestinians." The Association for Civil Rights in Israel has filed an appeal against the law with the supreme court. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas condemned the legislation as a breach of international law and a doomed attempt to intimidate Palestinians, asserting that such measures will not break their will or deter their struggle for independence.
International bodies have also voiced strong opposition. Last month, UN experts called on Israel to withdraw the bill, warning it violates the right to life and discriminates against Palestinians, removing judicial discretion and constituting torture under international law. The EU's diplomatic service condemned the proposal for breaching the right to life and risking violations of the prohibition on torture. In February, Amnesty International urged Israeli lawmakers to reject the legislation, citing its discriminatory application against Palestinians. Recently, Britain, France, Germany, and Italy expressed "deep concern" over the law, stating it risks undermining Israel's commitments to democratic principles.
