Beyza Binnur Dönmez
March 31, 2026•Update: March 31, 2026
GENEVA
Spain on Tuesday condemned the Israeli legislation imposing the death penalty on Palestinian prisoners, calling it discriminatory and "another step towards apartheid."
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said through US social media company X that the Spanish government "condemns the death penalty against Palestinians" recently approved by Israel’s parliament.
He described the measure as "asymmetrical," saying it "would not be applied to Israelis who commit the same crimes."
"Same crime, different punishment. That is not justice," Sanchez stressed, warning that the move represents "another step toward apartheid."
He also urged international action, saying: "The world cannot remain silent."
Israel’s Knesset passed the law Monday, making the death penalty the default punishment for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank convicted of lethal attacks against Israelis.
More than 9,300 Palestinians, including 350 children and 66 women, are currently held in Israeli jails, according to prisoners’ rights organizations and the Israeli Prison Service.
Reports indicate they suffer from torture, starvation, and medical neglect, which have led to dozens of deaths.
Since October 2023, Israel has intensified measures against Palestinian prisoners amid its military campaign on the Gaza Strip, which has killed over 72,000 people and injured 172,000, according to local authorities.
