Israel’s parliament the Knesset has passed a controversial law enabling the death penalty for Palestinians in the West Bank convicted of terror attacks — a move that has triggered sharp global backlash from the European Union and the United Nations. The legislation, cleared by a 62-47 vote, was strongly supported by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, according to a report in the Times of Israel.
A CNN report said the law mandates capital punishment for anyone who kills an Israeli “with the intent to negate the existence of the State of Israel”, with only limited scope for life imprisonment. Executions are to be carried out within 90 days of sentencing as Judges can impose the death penalty by a simple majority and the law eliminates the right to appeal.
How supporters and critics see the law
As the bill was passed, Ben Gvir declared, “This is a day of justice for the victims and a day of deterrence for our enemies. No more revolving door for terrorists, but a clear decision. Whoever chooses terrorism chooses death.” The law applies exclusively to Palestinians tried in military courts, while Israeli citizens are tried in civilian courts. Another provision allows the death penalty for anyone who “intentionally causes the death of a person with the aim of denying the existence of the State of Israel”, a phrasing critics say effectively excludes Jewish perpetrators.
Although Israel already recognises the death penalty in principle, executions have almost never been carried out. The only instance was the 1962 execution of Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann. Until now, capital punishment required unanimous judicial approval, a threshold never achieved in terrorism cases.
Palestinian leaders, global bodies condemn new law
The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs denounced the legislation as “a crime and a dangerous escalation in the occupation’s policies”, adding that Israeli laws do not apply to Palestinians and accusing Israel of trying to legitimise extrajudicial killings.
UN Human Rights Palestine also demanded that Israel scrap the new law, stating that it violates international obligations. “The United Nations opposes the death penalty under all circumstances. The implementation of this new law would violate international law’s prohibition of cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment,” it said. The body added that applying the law only to Palestinians further entrenches segregation and discriminatory legal standards.
Is the law applicable to past cases?
The law is designed only for future cases and will not apply retroactively, including to those involved in the 2023 attacks carried out by Hamas on October 7, as their prosecution will be addressed separately. Experts believe the move has added a new layer of strain to the already volatile political climate in the region, raising concerns over human rights, accountability and differential legal treatment based on ethnicity.
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