Knesset Approves Death-Penalty Law for Lethal ‘Terrorism’ in Military Courts

Overview

• The Knesset, which voted Monday 62–48, approved a law that makes death by hanging the default sentence in military courts for lethal attacks labeled terrorism.
• The statute lets a simple majority of judges impose death without a prosecutor’s request, orders executions within 90 days, and holds the condemned without visits with only video access to lawyers.
• Because Palestinians in the occupied West Bank face Israeli military courts while Israeli citizens go to civilian courts, critics say the law will fall mainly on Palestinians.
• The Association for Civil Rights in Israel filed a Supreme Court petition soon after the vote seeking to strike the law down.
• International pushback has grown, with the UN urging repeal, four European governments warning Sunday of rights breaches, and Europe’s parliamentary assembly on Tuesday saying Israel’s observer status could be reviewed on April 22.