Israeli Minister Calls For Death Penalty For Palestinian Prisoners To Overcome Excess Prison Capacity

Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. (Twitter/@itamarbengvir)

JAKARTA - Israel's right-wing National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called for the death penalty for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons found guilty of terrorism crimes.

Itamar Ben-Gvir said in a post on social media platform X, excess capacity in Israeli prisons since the Gaza War erupted could be overcome with "a much simpler solution, namely imposing the death penalty against terrorists".

"I have proposed a simpler solution, by imposing the death penalty for terrorists, who will solve the problem of population density, a law that Shin Bet also strongly opposes," he wrote in X, as quoted July 3.

Previously, he called for the use of electric seats against convicted terrorists.

The death penalty is possible in Israel's justice system, but has only been used twice in the country's history and has never been to Palestinians, as quoted by The National News.

Ben-Gvir, whose ministerial positions include police and prisons, has long called for tougher penalties and prison conditions for Palestinians detained on security charges.

At the beginning of his term of office, he shortened the time prisoners could spend bathing and closing bakeries in prison managed by inmates, among other measures.

Ben-Gvir's comments about the death penalty emerged after the government was rocked by the release of Al Shifa Hospital Director in Gaza, Mohammad Abu Salmiya, along with the release of 55 other prisoners, according to Palestinian media.

Prime Minister Benjami Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant are away from the matter. Meanwhile Ben-Gvir and intelligence agency Shin Bet have accused each other, while prison authorities have dismissed overcapacity.

Regarding the prison controversy, Kan's news channel in Israel also published a leaked WhatsApp message in which Ben-Gvir called for the sacking of Shin Bet's head, Ronen Bar.

The Shin Bet in turn accused the minister of having significant responsibility in the matter, saying he did not respond repeatedly to calls by the agency to address the shortage of prison cells exacerbated by mass detention in the Gaza war.

Israel's Prison Service (IPS) under the authority of National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, dismissed claims made by Shin Bet that they were forced to release prisoners back into Gaza due to lack of space in prison.

"Unfortunately, due to false publications, we were forced to reveal an order to release the director of the Shifa Hospital," said the IPS, which published an image of the document signed by an IDF (Israeli military) brigade general, reported by The Times of Israel.

"Contrary to false claims that have been published in recent hours, those who made the decision to release directors of Shifa Hospital are the IDF and Shin Bet, not the IPS," the service said.

"The IPS does not make its own decision to release prisoners in any form, and is only entrusted with imprisoning prisoners," the service added.

"The director of the hospital was not released because of the detention crisis he was released from a cell in Nafha Prison," said IPS.

It is unclear how the agency argued that his release from Nafha showed the decision was not based on a lack of prison cells.

Separately, Gaza's health authorities announced on Tuesday that the death toll of Palestinians from the Israeli attacks since October 7 had risen to 37,925, while 87,141 people were injured. The majority of victims were women and children, quoted from WAFA.