Knesset Approves Death Penalty Default for Palestinians Convicted of Deadly Attacks

Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, approved a law that makes the death penalty the default sentence for Palestinians convicted of deadly attacks, with the bill passing its third and final reading “in the Knesset by 62 votes to 48 on Monday,” according to the BBC.

The BBC reports that the legislation stipulates that Palestinians convicted in Israeli military courts of carrying out deadly attacks deemed to be “acts of terrorism” would be executed by hanging within 90 days, with a possible postponement of up to 180 days.

Al Jazeera

The law’s passage came with explicit celebration from its champions: the BBC says National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir posted on X, “We made history!!! We promised. We delivered.”

The BBC also describes the far-right push behind the measure, naming Ben-Gvir as “its driving force,” and it says Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voted in favour.

The BBC adds that in theory Jewish Israelis could also be executed under the law, but “in practice this almost certainly would not happen,” because the death penalty could only be carried out where the intention of the attack was to “negate the existence of the state of Israel.”

Amnesty International and other critics framed the same vote as a dismantling of safeguards: Amnesty’s statement says the amendment added to Israel’s Penal Law, known as the ‘Death Penalty for Terrorists’, “dismantles fundamental safeguards to prevent the arbitrary deprivation of life and protect the right to a fair trial.”

The BBC and OHCHR both tie the law to a timeline and method of execution, with OHCHR warning that “the death sentences, once imposed, must be carried out within 90 days,” which it says is “in itself a violation of international humanitarian law.”

UN human rights officials and Israeli and international rights groups said the law’s structure targets Palestinians through the legal system that tries them.

The BBC reports that UN human rights chief Volker Türk described the new law as discriminatory and said its application would “constitute a war crime,” while also quoting Türk’s view that the bill is “patently inconsistent with Israel’s international law obligations.”

Al Jazeera

The Guardian similarly quotes Türk describing the law as “patently inconsistent with Israel’s international law obligations, including in relation to the right to life,” and adds that it “raises serious concerns about due process violations, is deeply discriminatory, and must be promptly repealed.”

Amnesty International’s statement says the Knesset adopted “the first in what threatens to be a series of laws facilitating the use of the death penalty,” and it argues the amendment “further empowers Israel’s system of apartheid, which is maintained by scores of discriminatory laws against Palestinians.”

In the same Amnesty text, Erika Guevara-Rosas says, “Israel is brazenly granting itself carte blanche to execute Palestinians while stripping away the most basic fair-trial safeguards.”

OHCHR’s press release repeats Türk’s warning that the bill is “deeply disappointing” and says it “must be promptly repealed,” while also quoting Türk that “Its application in a discriminatory manner would constitute an additional, particularly egregious violation of international law.”

Al Jazeera’s account frames the law as part of a broader “apartheid” legal system, quoting B’Tselem’s Yair Dvir saying, “Fundamentally, this is an apartheid regime,” and adding that “There are entire sets of laws that differentiate between Jews and Palestinians.”

Al Jazeera also cites a legal asymmetry in how courts operate, stating that “Conviction rates for Palestinians tried in military courts run to 99.74 percent,” and contrasting it with “about 3 percent” for Israelis tried for crimes committed in the West Bank from 2005 to 2024.

The Guardian adds that the legislation makes the death penalty the default punishment for Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank found guilty of intentionally carrying out deadly attacks deemed acts of terrorism by a military court, and it describes restrictions on legal consultations as “only by video link.”

The law’s approval triggered immediate protests across the Israeli-occupied West Bank, with AP describing “Hundreds of protesters” taking to the streets “across the embattled Palestinian territories on Tuesday,” a day after the Knesset passed the measure.

“Israeli authorities must urgently repeal legislative amendments expanding Israel’s use of the death penalty, adopted today with a majority of 62 Knesset members, said Amnesty international”

Amnesty International

AP reports that Palestinians “young and old held sit-ins and marches in the Israeli-occupied West Bank,” and it quotes signs carried in Nablus reading, “Time is running out and silence is deadly,” and “Stop the law to execute prisoners, before it’s too late.”

The same AP account says the bill passed its final vote “late Monday to cheers and applause,” and it describes Itamar Ben-Gvir celebrating by “popping champagne.”

AP also says the law is set to take effect in “30 days” but that implementation could be delayed by pending court proceedings at Israel’s highest tribunal, while also stating that the measure is not retroactive and “won’t apply to current prisoners.”

In Gaza, AP reports that “dozens joined a demonstration in front of the headquarters of the Red Cross,” where women held framed photographs of well-known Palestinian prisoners such as Marwan Barghouti.

The BBC says the Supreme Court will now have to consider whether to hear a challenge to the bill, and it notes that the Association for Civil Rights in Israel has already petitioned the country’s Supreme Court against the law.

The Guardian adds that “Several Israeli human rights groups and three members of parliament filed petitions to the supreme court seeking to overturn it,” and it quotes the Association for Civil Rights in Israel saying the law created “two parallel tracks, both designed to apply to Palestinians.”

France 24 reports that the Supreme Court will have to decide whether the law is “unconstitutional and discriminatory,” and it says the law is “not retroactive” while also stating that “the Supreme Court will have to decide whether this law is ‘unconstitutional and discriminatory’.”

Radio France describes a general strike called by Fatah and reports that shops remained closed in Nablus, Hebron and Ramallah, with a protester saying, “We do not want the corpses of our sons; we want them alive.”

In the same Radio France account, a father testifies, “When I learned of the adoption of this law, I nearly fainted,” and it includes the claim that “89 detainees have died since October 7.”

International governments and rights organizations condemned the death penalty law, while Israeli officials and supporters defended it as necessary.

The BBC reports that ahead of the vote, the UK, France, Germany and Italy expressed their “deep concern,” saying the bill risked “undermining Israel’s commitments with regard to democratic principles,” and it adds that the Palestinian Authority condemned the law as seeking “to legitimise extrajudicial killing under legislative cover.”

Anadolu Ajansı

The Guardian quotes an EU spokesperson, Anouar El Anouni, saying, “This is a clear step backwards – the introduction of the death penalty, together with the discriminatory nature of the law,” and it reports that Germany’s government spokesperson Stefan Kornelius said, “The rejection of the death penalty is a fundamental principle of German policy.”

CBC reports that Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand wrote that the law “systematically targets Palestinians,” and it says Anand added, “Canada unequivocally opposes its application.”

CBC also reports that Australia, Germany, the U.K. and France issued a joint statement saying they were “particularly worried about the de facto discriminatory character of the bill,” and it quotes the joint statement: “The adoption of this bill would risk undermining Israel’s commitments with regards to democratic principles.”

NBC News describes far-right supporters celebrating as the law cleared the Knesset, while it reports that UN High Commissioner Volker Türk said the measure is a “particularly egregious violation of international law” and warned its application would “constitute a war crime.”

NBC also includes a U.S. response, quoting a State Department spokesperson saying it “respects Israel’s sovereign right to determine its own laws,” and adding, “We trust that any such measures will be carried out with a fair trial and respect for all applicable fair trial guarantees and protections.”

On the Israeli side, the BBC reports that Itamar Ben-Gvir’s party pushed the bill hard, and it quotes Ben-Gvir’s ally Limor Son-Har-Melech arguing that the law was necessary, citing a case where one of her husband’s killers was later released and went on to take part in the 7 October 2023 attacks on Israel.

The BBC also quotes opposition leader Yair Golan saying, “The death penalty law for terrorists is an unnecessary piece of legislation designed to get Ben-Gvir more likes,” and “It does not contribute one ounce to Israel's security.”

As the law faces legal scrutiny and international pressure, multiple sources describe how it could operate and what critics fear will follow.

“UN experts condemn the Israeli death penalty law targeting Palestinians - The law 'constitutes a discriminatory regime of the death penalty and plainly violates Israel's obligations under international human rights law,' the experts warned”

Anadolu Ajansı

The BBC says the Supreme Court will have to consider whether to hear the challenge to the bill, and it notes that Israel has only executed two people in its history, including Adolf Eichmann, who played an important role in perpetrating the Holocaust.

Anadolu Ajansı

The Guardian adds operational details, saying the bill would allow courts to impose the death penalty without a request from prosecutors and without requiring unanimity, instead permitting a simple majority decision, and it states that executions would be carried out within 90 days of sentencing.

Amnesty International’s statement says the law “explicitly creates two legal frameworks” for the use of the death penalty in the occupied West Bank and in Israel, and it argues that those sentenced to death are “not entitled to pardon,” calling it “one of the world’s most extreme death penalty laws.”

OHCHR warns that the law makes execution by hanging the default penalty for Palestinians convicted in the occupied West Bank of lethal attacks against Israelis, and it says “The death penalty is profoundly difficult to reconcile with human dignity,” while also stating that “Its application to residents of the occupied Palestinian territory would constitute a war crime.”

Al Jazeera and Anadolu Ajansı both frame the law as an escalation in discrimination, with Al Jazeera quoting Physicians for Human Rights – Israel’s Tirza Leibowitz saying, “It’s a legal system that either refuses to investigate crimes against Palestinians or actively shields the abuse, torture and medical neglect of them,” and Anadolu Ajansı reporting UN experts warning that the law “constitutes a discriminatory regime of capital punishment and plainly violates Israel's obligations under international human rights law.”

NBC News describes how the law could affect prisoners and detention practices, stating that it “would not apply to Palestinians already convicted of participating in the Oct. 7 attacks,” but adding that those who haven’t been convicted, including “the estimated half of imprisoned Palestinians who have been jailed but not formally charged under Israel’s so-called ‘administrative detention’,” could still be put to death.

Radio France adds a grim warning from families, quoting a protester who says, “We are afraid not only for our son, but for those who will be arrested in the future; they are our children,” and it reports that “Families have had no visiting rights since October 7.”

In Gaza, AP reports that protesters chanted and held photographs of prisoners like Marwan Barghouti, underscoring that the law’s consequences are expected to reverberate across the territories where Palestinians are detained and tried.