Critics say bill targets West Bank Palestinians, pushing military courts to impose death penalty
Israel Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Itamar Ben Gvir shake hands as the Israeli government approve Netanyahu’s proposal to reappoint Itamar Ben-Gvir as minister of National Security, in the Knesset, Israeli parliament in Jerusaelm, March 19, 2025. PHOTO:REUTERS
Israel’s parliament passed a law on Monday making the death penalty a default sentence for Palestinians convicted in military court of deadly attacks, seeing through a main pledge by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right allies.
The Knesset passed a controversial law allowing the death penalty for Palestinian prisoners, a measure that Israel’s European allies say would unfairly target Palestinians under military occupation.
The bill was approved in second and third readings by 62 votes against 48, and one abstention, the daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported.
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voted in support of the law.
The measure includes provisions requiring sentencing within 90 days with no right to clemency. It was devised by Itamar Ben-Gvir, the far-right national security minister, who, along with other ardent supporters, has worn noose-shaped lapel pins in the run-up to the vote.
The bill’s critics say it aims at Palestinians in the West Bank by instructing military courts in the occupied territory to impose the death penalty in cases involving killings of Israelis, except in “special circumstances”.
Those courts only try Palestinians and have a near-100% conviction rate, rights groups say.
Under the bill, the death penalty can be imposed without a request from the prosecution, unanimity will not be required for a death sentence, and the decision will be made by a simple majority. Military courts applying to Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank would also be able to impose the death penalty, with the defence minister having the right to submit an opinion to the judicial panel.
In cases where Palestinians under Israeli occupation are sentenced to death, the bill specifies that avenues for pardon or appeal would be closed. For prisoners tried in Israel, the penalty could be commuted to life imprisonment.
The bill was welcomed by far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who called it “a historic day”.
US Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib condemned the bill, calling it “the next step in the genocide of Palestinians” and an act of apartheid.
“Mass execution by hanging, solely on racial lines” constitutes apartheid, Tlaib said on X, adding that Palestinians were “already systematically tortured in Israeli prisons”.
Israel has sharply escalated its violations against Palestinian detainees since the start of the conflict in October 2023, particularly those from Gaza, including starvation, torture, sexual violence, and systematic denial of medical care, according to rights groups.
A group of European countries had expressed “deep concern” about the bill, urging Tel Aviv to drop its plan to vote the controversial legislation into law.
In a statement on Sunday, foreign ministers of Germany, France, Italy, and the UK said they “express our deep concern about a bill that would significantly expand the possibilities to impose the death penalty in Israel and that could be voted into law next week”.
Noting particular worry about the “de facto discriminatory character” of the bill, the statement said its adoption would risk undermining “Israel’s commitments with regards to democratic principles”. The foreign ministers said rejection of the death penalty was a “fundamental value that unites us”, adding: “We urge the Israeli decision makers in Knesset and Government to abandon these plans.”
Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen had subsequently said the Netherlands joined the four countries in expressing “deep concern” over the bill ahead of its parliamentary vote. “NL is principally against the death penalty and urges Israel’s government and Parliament to reconsider this bill,” he wrote on X.
