Israeli parliament advances bill proposing death penalty for Palestinian prisoners

The Israeli parliament has taken a first step toward introducing the death penalty to target Palestinian prisoners convicted for the murder of Israeli settlers.

In Monday’s vote, the first of four required for the bill to become law, 39 lawmakers supported the measure while 16 opposed it, out of a total of 120 members. Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir urged all political factions to back the legislation, describing it as a tool to deter what he called “Arab terrorism.”

After the vote, Ben-Gvir stated, “This is how we fight terror; this is how we create deterrence. Once the law is finally passed — terrorists will be released only to hell.”

The bill will now proceed to a parliamentary committee for further discussion before a second and third vote. Its passage is not assured, as several prominent political parties boycotted Monday’s initial session. Opposition leader Yair Lapid has indicated he will not support the measure.

The draft law has drawn condemnation from Palestinian leaders. The Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) described the vote as unacceptable, with Palestinian National Council Speaker Rawhi Fattouh calling it “a political, legal, and humanitarian crime.” Hamas also criticized the legislation.

In 1954, Israel ended the death penalty for murder. The only civilian ever executed after trial was Adolf Eichmann, a key architect of the Nazi Holocaust, in 1962.