Israel passes law to give death penalty to Palestinians convicted of lethal attacks

Key Points:

• Israel’s parliament has passed a law making the death penalty mandatory for Palestinians convicted of fatal attacks in the occupied West Bank, a move criticized by European nations and human rights groups as discriminatory and a violation of international law.
• The legislation allows military courts to sentence Palestinians to death by simple majority without prosecutor requests, closes off appeals or clemency for those under occupation, and mandates executions within 90 days, typically by hanging.
• Far-right national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir strongly supports the bill, framing it as a demonstration of national strength, while opponents warn it escalates Israel’s penal policy and could expose Israeli officials to international legal consequences.
• The Palestinian Authority condemned the law as a dangerous escalation and colonial overreach, while UN experts, the EU, Amnesty International, and several European countries have condemned it for violating human rights and democratic principles.
• The law is now in force but may still be challenged and potentially overturned by Israel’s supreme court, with Israeli human rights groups already filing petitions against it.