Israeli parliament advances death penalty bill for Palestinian detainees

JERUSALEM

The Israeli parliament’s National Security Committee approved a draft bill late Tuesday in a step towards legalizing the execution of Palestinian prisoners.

The bill is expected to be presented to the Knesset's General Assembly next week for a vote in the second and third readings, which mark the final stages for it to become an enforceable law.

The committee made some amendments to the bill, which passed its first vote, Israel's public broadcaster KAN reported, adding that executions would be carried out through hanging.

Those sentenced to death would be placed in a separate detention center with no visits allowed except by authorized personnel, and lawyer consultations would be allowed only 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 prosecution, that unanimity will not be required for a death sentence, and that the decision will be made by a simple majority.

Military courts applying to Palestinians living in the Israeli-occupied West Bank would also be able to impose the death penalty, with the defense minister having the right to submit an opinion to the judicial panel.

In the case of Palestinians under Israeli occupation being sentenced to death, the bill specifies that avenues for pardon or appeal would be closed.

For prisoners tried in Israel, the death penalty could 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 escalated its violations against Palestinian detainees 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 rights groups.

*Writing by Serdar Dincel