Israel’s Knesset National Security Committee has approved a controversial bill introducing the death penalty for “Palestinian prisoners” and forwarded it to the Knesset plenary. According to Israel’s state broadcaster KAN, the committee made several amendments to the draft law, which had already passed its first reading.
Although the bill does not explicitly mention Palestinian prisoners, it uses the term “terror offenders.”
The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), in a statement on February 4, had opposed the proposal, saying:
“UN experts today called on Israel to withdraw a draft law that would impose mandatory death sentences for acts of terrorism, warning that it would violate the right to life and lead to discrimination against Palestinians in the occupied Palestinian territories.”
According to the bill submitted to the Knesset, executions would be carried out by prison guards appointed by the Israel Prison Service, using hanging. The executioner would be granted anonymity and legal immunity.
Those sentenced to death would be held in a separate detention facility, with visits restricted to authorized individuals only. Meetings with lawyers would be conducted exclusively via video.
The execution would be carried out within 90 days of the ruling. During the execution, a prison director, a representative of the judiciary, an official inspector, and a representative of the prisoner’s family would be present.
The bill also states that the death penalty could be imposed without a request from the prosecution, and that a unanimous verdict would not be required—decisions could be made by a simple majority.
It is further noted that military courts operating in the occupied West Bank would also be authorized to issue death sentences. The Minister of Defense would have the right to present opinions to the judicial panel in such cases.
The proposal adds that if a death sentence is imposed on Palestinian prisoners in occupied territories, avenues for pardon and appeal would be closed.
For prisoners tried within Israel, death sentences could be commuted to life imprisonment.
According to the bill, “killing an Israeli or a person living in Israel with the intent of denying Israel’s existence” would constitute grounds for the death penalty.