The text was approved by a majority of 39 votes and aims to apply specifically to Palestinians who kill Israelis for racial or hostile reasons.
The Israeli parliament approved this Monday night, in first reading, the proposed law on the establishment “the death penalty for terrorists”a text tailored to apply to Palestinians found guilty of the deadly attacks against Israel.
The text was approved by a majority of 39 votes contra 16.
The Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben Gvir, a figure of the Israeli extreme right, threatened to stop voting with the majority that supports Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (right) if this proposal, presented by a deputy from her party, was not subject to a vote in the Knesset.
Now, the bill still needs votes in second and third readings so that it can become law.
The bill proposes that “any person who intentionally or through indifference causes the death of an Israeli citizen for reasons of racism or hostility towards a community, with the aim of harming the State of Israel and the rebirth of the Jewish people in their country, will be subject to the death penalty.”
Objective is “nip terrorism in the bud”
With such a formulation, the death penalty could be applied to a Palestinian who killed an Israeli, but in no way would an Israeli kill a Palestinian.
Upon deeming this bill admissible, the Knesset National Security Committee indicated, on November 3,that the objective of the text was “nip terrorism in the bud and create strong deterrence.”
“Any terrorist who prepares to commit murder must know that there is only one punishment: the death penalty”, declared Minister Ben Gvir on the same day.
On November 3, Hamas classified the bill as a “flagrant violation of international law”, asking “to the United Nations, the international community and relevant humanitarian and human rights organizations to take immediate action to stop this brutal crime.”
The Palestinian Authority denounced “a dangerous step aimed at continuing genocide and ethnic cleansing under the guise of legitimacy.”
