Convicted Palestinians may face death penalty

Jérusalem (AFP) — Israel’s parliament approved a bill on Monday that would allow the execution of Palestinians convicted on terror charges for deadly attacks, a move that has been criticized as discriminatory and immediately drew a court challenge.

Sixty-two lawmakers, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, voted in favor and 48 against the bill, championed by far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.

There was one abstention and the rest of the lawmakers were not present.

Ben Gvir in the run-up to the vote had worn a lapel pin in the shape of a noose, symbolizing his support for the legislation.

“We made history!!! We promised. We delivered,” he posted on X after the vote.

The bill would make the death penalty the default punishment for Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank found guilty of intentionally carrying out deadly attacks deemed “acts of terrorism” by an Israeli military court.

The bill says that the sentence may be reduced to life imprisonment under “special circumstances.”

Palestinians in the West Bank are automatically tried in Israeli military courts.

The Council of Europe said the adoption of the law “represents a serious regression.”

In contrast, the United States said Monday it respected “Israel’s sovereign right to determine its own laws and penalties for individuals convicted of terrorism.”

“We trust that any such measures will be carried out with a fair trial and respect for all applicable fair trial guarantees and protections,” a State Department spokesperson said.

Under the bill, in Israeli criminal courts anyone “who intentionally causes the death of a person with the aim of harming an Israeli citizen or resident out of an intention to put an end to the existence of the State of Israel shall be sentenced to death or life imprisonment.”