The Israeli parliament has approved a draft law that would re‑introduce the death penalty for terrorists. On Monday, 62 of the 120 members of the Knesset voted in favour of the highly controversial proposal put forward by the far‑right party Otzma Jehudit, led by police minister Itamar Ben‑Gvir. Forty‑eight MPs opposed the bill, while the remaining members either abstained or were absent. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also backed the initiative.
Critics condemn the law as racist, arguing that it would effectively target only Palestinians. Germany and other European countries have already voiced opposition to it. Under the proposed legislation, a person convicted of a terrorist‑motivated murder with the aim of destroying the state of Israel could be sentenced either to death or to life imprisonment by Israel’s civilian courts. Because the statute contains an explicit prohibition on retroactive application, it cannot be applied to Hamas fighters involved in the October 7, 2023 massacre.
The Israeli Democracy Institute has warned that the bill would compel military judges to impose the death penalty, stripping them of the necessary discretion for case‑by‑case review. It argues that such a measure contradicts Israel’s democratic and rule‑of‑law principles, given its apparent focus on Palestinians. The Institute also warns that the law could lead to irreversible judicial errors and damage Israel’s international standing. Experts remain sceptical about its efficacy in counter‑terrorism efforts.