The Israeli parliament, the Knesset, has passed a law introducing the death penalty for Palestinians convicted of killing Israelis in nationalist-motivated attacks.
Operative Information Center-OMM reports that the legislation was approved following a heated debate, as reported by the Associated Press.
The bill passed with 62 members of the Knesset voting in favor and 48 against. The initiative was spearheaded by far-right political factions who have spent the past year pushing for stricter punishments for crimes committed against Israelis. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was personally present during the session to support the vote.
Under the new law, the death penalty will be carried out by hanging and will specifically target those convicted of nationalist-motivated murders in the West Bank. While the legislation technically allows Israeli courts to impose the death penalty on Israeli citizens convicted of similar charges, legal experts suggest that, in practice, the measure is primarily intended for Palestinian defendants. The law will not apply retroactively to those already in custody, including members of Hamas, and is set to come into force within 30 days.
The move has drawn sharp criticism from the international community and human rights organizations, who argue that the reintroduction of capital punishment contradicts modern legal standards. Historically, Israel has rarely utilized the death penalty; the only judicial execution in the country's history was that of Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann in 1962. This legislative shift marks a significant departure from decades of Israeli legal policy and is expected to heighten tensions in the region.
