Gaza Herald – Human rights organizations and international leaders condemned Israel’s approval of a new law allowing the death penalty for Palestinians, describing it as a serious violation of international law and a discriminatory measure targeting detainees.
The legislation was passed by the Knesset with a 62-48 vote, making execution, reportedly by hanging, the default punishment for Palestinians convicted of deadly attacks in the occupied West Bank.
The law was strongly backed by Itamar Ben-Gvir, who celebrated its passage and rejected international criticism. Palestinian officials, including the Palestinian Authority, described the move as a “dangerous escalation,” arguing that it legitimizes extrajudicial killings under legal cover and reflects a broader system of control in occupied territories.
Groups such as Amnesty International and the United Nations Human Rights Office warned that the law violates fundamental human rights principles, including the right to life and protections against cruel or degrading punishment.
They stressed that applying the law exclusively to Palestinians reinforces accusations of systemic discrimination and could amount to breaches of international humanitarian law.
Palestinian movements, including Hamas, said the legislation threatens the lives of thousands of detainees and reflects disregard for international conventions. Meanwhile, legal and civil rights advocates inside Israel, including the Association for Civil Rights, filed appeals to challenge the law before the country’s courts.
European officials also voiced concern, with countries like the Council of Europe calling the move a “serious regression” from modern human rights standards. Leaders from Ireland, Italy, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom urged Israel to reverse the decision, emphasizing that capital punishment is incompatible with contemporary legal norms.
The legislation came amid escalating attacks and mass abductions in the West Bank, alongside the ongoing genocide in Gaza. Observers noted that the timing raised further concerns about its potential use against political prisoners and activists, intensifying fears of expanded punitive measures under the current Israeli government.
Rights groups ultimately warned that failure by the international community to act could deepen impunity and erode the global rules-based order, stressing that silence in the face of such measures risks normalizing policies they view as unlawful and discriminatory.
