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Israeli parliament backs death penalty for Palestinian attackers in preliminary vote
Israel's Knesset approved the first reading of a bill on Monday that would impose the death penalty on Palestinians convicted of deadly attacks against Israelis, a measure critics call discriminatory and likely to apply only to Palestinian defendants. The vote, passing 39-16 in the 120-seat legislature, marks the initial step toward enacting a law long championed by far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and his Jewish Power party.
The proposed legislation amends Israel's penal code to mandate execution for convictions of murder driven by "racism or hatred toward the public," where the act was intended to "harm the State of Israel and the rebirth of the Jewish nation." Legal analysts note the clause effectively excludes Jewish Israelis from prosecution under the same statute, targeting Palestinians almost exclusively. The bill requires two more readings before becoming law.
Celebrating the vote late Monday, Ben-Gvir distributed sweets to allies, declaring, "After the law is finally passed-terrorists will only be released to hell." His push for the measure had previously stalled over concerns it could jeopardize negotiations to free Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. Those objections dissipated after a ceasefire deal last month secured the release of 20 living hostages in exchange for roughly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, including 250 serving life sentences.
Controversial media crackdown advances alongside death penalty bill
In the same session, lawmakers voted 50-41 to advance a separate bill granting the government permanent authority to shutter foreign media outlets without judicial review. The proposal would codify a temporary order used in May 2024 to ban Al Jazeera, the Qatari-owned network, which Israel accused of pro-Hamas bias-a claim the broadcaster denies. Critics, including Israel's legal advisers and the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI), argue the measure undermines press freedom and blocks access to dissenting viewpoints.
The "Al Jazeera Law," as it has been dubbed, expands on wartime restrictions that forced the network to close its offices in occupied East Jerusalem and Ramallah. If enacted, the government could unilaterally silence foreign broadcasters even outside emergencies, eliminating court oversight. ACRI previously warned the High Court of Justice that such powers "violate freedom of expression, the right to information, and freedom of the press."
Personal tragedies fuel legislative push
The death penalty bill's co-sponsor, Limor Son Har-Melech-a Jewish Power Knesset member-cited her husband's 2003 murder by Palestinian gunmen during the Second Intifada as motivation. Attacked while pregnant, she survived an emergency C-section but lost her husband. Har-Melech told lawmakers one of his killers was later released in a prisoner swap, only to reoffend in the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks before dying in the subsequent Gaza war.
"A dead terrorist does not get released alive," Har-Melech stated during the debate, framing the bill as a deterrent against future attacks.
Palestinian human rights groups condemned the proposal as a "collective death sentence" targeting detained members of Hamas's Al-Qassam Brigades, warning it could be applied retroactively to hundreds arrested since October 7. The Palestinian Authority's foreign ministry labeled the bill "a new form of escalating Israeli extremism and criminality against the Palestinian people."
Broader legal offensive against Gaza militants
The death penalty push aligns with Israel's Justice Minister's plan to establish a special tribunal for Gazans accused of involvement in the October 7 attacks, which killed 1,200 Israelis. The Gaza Health Ministry, run by Hamas, reports over 69,000 Palestinian deaths in the ensuing war. Legal experts note Israel's death penalty-though technically available for rare crimes like treason-has been used only twice since 1948, most recently for Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann in 1962.
Opponents argue the bill's selective application risks deepening systemic discrimination. "Its most alarming aspect is the potential for retroactive execution," one Palestinian rights organization stated, pointing to detained Al-Qassam fighters as likely targets. The Knesset's National Security Committee defended the measure as necessary to "nip terrorism in the bud," asserting it would serve as a "weighty deterrent."
Next steps
Both bills now proceed to second and third readings, where further debate and potential amendments are expected. Ben-Gvir's office indicated he would prioritize the death penalty legislation, while media advocates vow to challenge the foreign outlet ban in court. The ceasefire's collapse in Gaza, coupled with rising tensions in the West Bank, adds urgency to the bills' advancement, observers say.
