Ahead of Final Approval: Committee in Knesset Approves Death Penalty Bill for Palestinian Prisoners

SadaNews - The National Security Committee in the Knesset approved on Tuesday a bill imposing the death penalty on Palestinians convicted of carrying out attacks that resulted in the deaths of Israelis, preparing it for a vote in the full Knesset in its second and third readings next week. According to a statement from the "Otzma Yehudit" party, the committee, chaired by Knesset member Tzvika Fogel, approved the bill initiated by Knesset member Limor Son Har-Melech, which is led by the far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir. The bill stipulates the imposition of the death penalty on anyone who "intentionally causes the death of a person in actions classified as terrorist acts against Israelis." The bill includes mandatory penalties without the need for judicial consensus and requires the execution to be carried out by the Israeli prison service, within a specified period not exceeding 90 days from the date of issuance. It also states that no pardons can be granted in such cases, meaning the sentence cannot be reduced or changed by subsequent political or legal decisions. The bill is set to be voted on by the Knesset's plenum next week, in an effort to complete its legislative process definitively. Ben Gvir commented on the approval, stating, "This day is a historic day in the State of Israel. Those who choose to kill Jews just because they are Jews – their punishment is one: death. There will no longer be an open cycle of operations, imprisonment, and releases." He claimed that "this law restores deterrence and brings back justice, sending a clear message to our enemies: Jewish blood is not forfeit. We will continue to lead a firm policy without compromises against terrorism, until victory," according to his statements. On February 25th, the National Security Committee in the Knesset approved reservations regarding the death penalty bill for Palestinian prisoners, claiming they "soften" the bill, but allow committee chairman Fogel to reopen discussions on contested sections and introduce amendments that are no less strict than the provisions that were canceled. The electronic site of "Haaretz" newspaper reported sources as saying that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed the government secretary, Yossi Fox, to intervene in the committee's deliberations, "to alleviate the problematic clauses concerning international law" that were deemed "unconstitutional," i.e., contradictory to fundamental laws, according to Israeli legal experts. Fogel asserted at the time that by approving the reservations, "we aim to prevent claims that the law is unconstitutional, which is why we are trying to introduce changes to the bill," while Israeli experts in legal and security fields opposed the text of the bill during committee discussions, stating that several of its clauses are "unconstitutional" and have "serious international repercussions."