Israel passes death penalty law for Palestinians convicted of terror attacks
Israel’s Parliament on Monday passed a law approving the death penalty for Palestinians convicted of murdering Israelis, a measure that has been harshly condemned by the international community and rights groups as discriminatory and inhumane.
The passage of the bill marked the culmination of a yearslong drive by the far-right to escalate punishment for Palestinians convicted of nationalistic offences against Israelis. PM Benjamin Netanyahu came to the Knesset to vote for the Bill in person.
The law makes the death penalty — by hanging — the default punishment for West Bank Palestinians convicted of nationalistic killings. It also gives Israeli courts the option of imposing the death penalty on Israeli citizens convicted on similar charges — language that legal experts say effectively confines those who can be sentenced to death to Palestinian citizens of Israel and excludes Jewish citizens.
It will not apply retroactively to any prisoners Israel currently holds, including the Hamas-led militants who attacked the country on Oct 7, 2023, triggering the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. After the final 62-48 vote in favour, lawmakers erupted into cheers and stood up in jubilation. Bibi, who remained in his seat, did not immediately react or speak.
