Israeli Parliament Approves Death Penalty Bill for Palestinian Prisoners

Illustration of the arrest of Palestinians by Israeli forces. (Wikimedia Commons/Tasnim News Agency)

JAKARTA - The Israeli Parliament's National Security Committee approved a draft law as a step towards legalizing the execution of Palestinian prisoners on Tuesday night.

The bill is expected to be submitted to the Knesset General Assembly next week for a vote on the second and third readings, marking the final stage of becoming an enforceable law.

The committee made several amendments to the bill that had passed the first vote, as reported by Israel's public broadcaster KAN, adding that executions would be carried out by hanging, quoted from Anadolu (25/3).

Those sentenced to death will be placed in a separate detention center without visits except by authorized personnel, and consultations with lawyers are only allowed via video.

The execution must be carried out within 90 days of the decision.

The bill states that the death penalty can be imposed without a request from the prosecutor, that a unanimous vote is not required for the death penalty, and that decisions will be made by a simple majority.

Military courts dealing with Palestinians living in Israel's occupied West Bank will also be able to impose the death penalty, with the defense minister entitled to submit an opinion to the judicial panel.

In the case of Palestinians under Israeli occupation sentenced to death, the bill stipulates that the path to pardon or appeal will be closed.

For prisoners on trial in Israel, the death penalty can be commuted to life imprisonment.

The bill was welcomed by Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who called it a "historic day."

Israel has sharply increased violations against Palestinian prisoners since the start of the war in October 2023, particularly those from Gaza, including starvation, torture, sexual violence, and systematic denial of medical care, according to human rights groups.