Megaphone News English@MegaphoneNewsEN
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir opened a bottle of champagne in the Knesset corridors to celebrate the approval of a law authorizing the execution of Palestinian prisoners. Ben Gvir had led the campaign in favor of the law, and secured Benjamin Netanyahu’s backing.The law includes the death penalty for anyone who intentionally causes the death of a person as part of an act classified as “terrorism.”
The law introduces a distinction in its application between Israel and the West Bank, making the death penalty the primary option in the latter. It also sets a deadline of no more than 90 days to carry out the sentence once handed down, prevents any pardon for those convicted, and allows the sentence to be issued without requiring judicial unanimity. The executions are to be carried out by hanging through the Israeli Prison Service.The law also grants military courts exceptional authority to commute the sentence to life imprisonment under “special circumstances,” and allows the prime minister to request a delay in implementation for a total period not exceeding 180 days.
The law passed with 62 votes in favor, 48 against, and one abstention. Israel has rarely used the death penalty, with its last execution carried out in 1962 against Nazi official Adolf Eichmann.
