Israel's parliament passed legislation Monday making the death penalty the default sentence for Palestinians convicted of deadly attacks in military courts, fulfilling a key demand of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's far-right coalition partners.
The law passed by a vote of 62 to 48, with National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir — who wore noose-shaped lapel pins before the vote — championing the measure. The legislation mandates execution by hanging within 90 days of sentencing for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank found guilty of killing Israelis in what military courts deem terrorist acts.
Military courts in the West Bank try only Palestinians, not Israeli settlers, creating what critics call a discriminatory dual legal system. Under the new law, these courts can reduce sentences to life imprisonment only under "special circumstances." Meanwhile, Israeli civilian courts — which try Israeli citizens including Palestinian citizens — may choose between death or life imprisonment for similar crimes.
We have made history. Any terrorist who goes out to kill should know - he will be sent to the gallows
Itamar Ben-Gvir, National Security Minister — Sky News
International allies immediately condemned the legislation. Germany, France, Italy and Britain issued a joint statement calling the law "de facto discriminatory" and warning it "risks undermining Israel's commitments to democratic principles." The four nations described capital punishment as "an inhumane and degrading form of punishment without any deterrent effect."
Sky News frames the law as controversial and discriminatory, emphasizing international condemnation and concerns about democratic principles. The outlet highlights the racist nature of the legislation and its potential for extrajudicial killings.
The Hindu presents the law as fulfilling Netanyahu's far-right allies' pledges while noting international criticism. The outlet emphasizes the procedural aspects and includes context about Israel's existing scrutiny over settler violence.
Dawn emphasizes the discriminatory nature of the law and includes strong opposition voices from Israeli lawmakers. The outlet highlights the constitutional challenges and frames the legislation as creating parallel legal systems based on ethnicity.
El País characterizes the decision as almost unthinkable years ago and emphasizes the shift from inactive legal provision to default punishment. The outlet highlights the discriminatory application through military courts that only try Palestinians.
Palestinian officials rejected the law's legitimacy entirely. The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs characterized it as "a decision to carry out institutionalised extrajudicial killings according to racist standards," asserting that "Israel has no sovereignty over Palestinian land and that Israeli laws do not apply to the Palestinian people."
The Association for Civil Rights in Israel filed an immediate Supreme Court petition challenging the law's constitutionality. The group argued the legislation creates "two parallel tracks, both designed to apply to Palestinians" and violates Israel's Basic Laws prohibiting arbitrary discrimination.
Do you understand what it means that there is one law for Arabs in Judea and Samaria, and a different law for the general public for which the State of Israel is responsible? It says that Hamas has defeated us. It has defeated us because we have lost all our values.
Ram Ben Barak, opposition lawmaker and former deputy Mossad director — Dawn
The legislation represents a dramatic shift for Israel, which abolished the death penalty for murder in 1954 and has not executed anyone in over 25 years. Military courts in the West Bank have a conviction rate of approximately 96 percent, with human rights organizations documenting cases where confessions were obtained through mistreatment and torture.
UN experts warned the bill contains "vague and overbroad definitions of terrorist," potentially allowing capital punishment for "conduct that is not genuinely terrorist in nature." The law comes amid escalating tensions in the West Bank, where settler violence against Palestinians has drawn international criticism of Netanyahu's government.
The timing raises questions about Israel's commitment to democratic norms as it faces mounting international scrutiny. Will the Supreme Court uphold this discriminatory framework, or will international pressure force a reconsideration of a law that appears to institutionalize separate justice systems based on ethnicity?