Israeli Parliament Celebrates Death Penalty for Palestinians

(MENAFN) Reports indicate that Israeli lawmakers, led by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, were filmed celebrating the passage of a controversial death penalty bill, which has drawn warnings from rights groups, foreign nations, and the UN for its discriminatory impact on Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.

The legislation, passed 62–47 in the Knesset on Tuesday, stipulates that Palestinians convicted of deadly terrorist attacks aimed at “ending Israel’s existence” would face execution by hanging. Cases in the occupied West Bank would be handled by military courts, while those in Israel would fall under criminal law. Sentences are to be carried out within 90 days of conviction, with no right to clemency, although judges may substitute life imprisonment under unspecified “special circumstances.”

Ben-Gvir, seen in a video released by the Knesset holding a bottle of alcohol in the chamber, described the law as “a day of justice for the victims and a day of deterrence for our enemies.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attended the session to vote for the measure but did not participate in the celebrations.

“Such laws and measures will not break the will of the Palestinian people or undermine their steadfastness,” the office of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas stated.

The law has drawn widespread criticism. Germany, France, the UK, Italy, and Australia issued a joint statement expressing “deep concern” over the “de facto discriminatory nature” of the legislation and urged Israel to abandon the plan.

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