Israel’s parliament approved legislation Monday allowing the death penalty for Palestinians convicted of killing Israelis, prompting swift legal action and sharp criticism from rights groups who warn the measure is discriminatory and risks further escalating tensions.
The law, passed by the Knesset, marks the culmination of a long-standing push by far-right figures within Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition to impose harsher penalties for what they describe as “terror-related” offenses.
Under the new legislation, the death penalty – to be carried out by hanging – becomes the default sentence for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank convicted of nationalistic killings. The law allows Israeli civilian courts to impose either capital punishment or life imprisonment on Israeli citizens in similar cases, though critics argue the framework effectively limits executions to Palestinians.
Shortly after the vote, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel filed a petition with the High Court of Justice seeking to overturn the law, calling it “discriminatory by design” and lacking legal authority over Palestinians in the West Bank.
The legislation is set to take effect within 30 days and would apply only to future cases. It also requires executions to be carried out within 90 days of sentencing and does not include provisions for clemency, raising concerns over compliance with international legal standards.
