Israel Passes Death Penalty Law Targeting Palestinians, Drawing Global Condemnation
Key Takeaways
- Knesset passed death penalty for Palestinians convicted of deadly attacks, by hanging.
- Law targets Palestinians exclusively, drawing widespread international condemnation as discriminatory.
- Rights groups and UN say the measure could constitute a war crime.
Knesset Approves Death Penalty
Israel's Knesset passed a death penalty law applying exclusively to Palestinians.
Prime Minister Netanyahu voted in favor.
The law mandates execution within 90 days and strips clemency rights.
Ben-Gvir wore a hangman's noose pin during the vote.
International and Palestinian Outcry
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry condemned the law as a crime and dangerous escalation.
UN human rights chief warned its application would constitute a war crime.
Thousands of Palestinians protested across the occupied West Bank.
More than 9,500 Palestinians are held in Israeli prisons.
Law Is Widely Seen as Discriminatory
The law exempts Jewish Israelis while targeting Palestinians.
B'Tselem noted a 96% conviction rate based on confessions extracted under duress.
Rights groups called the law racist and draconian.
Execution Timeline and Legal Challenges
The law requires executions within 90 days of a final ruling.
It bars military commanders from pardoning or reducing sentences.
Israel's largest rights group filed a Supreme Court petition.
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