A first in Israel's execution law: Knesset approves death penalty bill

The National Security Committee of the Israeli Parliament (Knesset) has concluded deliberations on a notable death penalty bill prepared by the party of far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. The committee agreed to submit the regulation, which grants courts the authority to impose the death penalty on defendants who kill an Israeli for "nationalist reasons," to the Knesset for its first vote.

Prior to the meeting, Gal Hirsch, the Coordinator for Hostages and Missing Persons, stated in a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he had received the government's support for the bill directly from Netanyahu.

According to the prepared law, the death penalty will only be applied to attackers who target Israelis for nationalist reasons. If an Israeli citizen kills a Palestinian, this penalty is excluded from the scope. The bill is expected to be addressed in the Knesset General Assembly on Wednesday, initiating a three-stage voting process.

In a written statement issued by the Palestinian Prisoners' Society, the bill was described as "the legalization of Israel's execution acts against Palestinians." The statement further emphasized that Israeli security forces continue to carry out intentional killings, assassinations, and deaths due to medical negligence during detention and interrogations. The organization characterized this legislative initiative as "an attempt to find a cover for human rights violations that have been ongoing for years."

According to the society's data, 81 Palestinians have lost their lives in Israeli prisons since October 2023 alone, and this figure includes only officially reported cases.

Following the approval from the committee, the death penalty bill was referred to the Knesset General Assembly. If the law is passed, it will be the first time in Israel's history that the death penalty will be permanently integrated into the penal system.