Israels Death Penalty Law Applies Exclusively to Palestinian Convicts

Israeli Parliament Approves Legislation Imposing Death Penalty on Palestinians

The Israeli parliament has approved a new legislation that would impose the death penalty on Palestinians convicted of deadly attacks. The law, which does not apply to Jewish citizens of Israel, has been met with condemnation from international rights groups and governments.

In a joint statement, France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom expressed concerns over the bill’s discriminatory nature. Amnesty International had previously stated that the legislation would make the death penalty “another discriminatory tool in Israel’s system of apartheid”.

Human Rights Watch described the law as discriminatory, citing its primary application to Palestinians. The organization noted that the death penalty is irreversible and cruel, and that the bill aims to kill Palestinian detainees faster and with less scrutiny.

The legislation was approved by the parliament after being championed by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who has previous convictions for far-right “terrorism”. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attended the chamber to support the bill.

Under the new law, anyone found guilty of killing an Israeli citizen within the occupied West Bank will be sentenced to death by military courts. In contrast, Israeli settlers are tried in civilian courts in Israel, where they have not been prosecuted for killing Palestinians since the start of this decade.

The legislation has sparked fears among Palestinians and raised questions about its legality. The law grants civilian courts an extra degree of leniency in sentencing Israelis found guilty of killing Palestinians, while military courts carry an automatic death penalty with limited exceptions.

Rights groups have long described Israel’s system as “apartheid”, and the new legislation has further entrenched these concerns.

Source: Al Jazeera