Overview
- Israel’s parliament, which began debating the measure Monday, is moving to final votes on a bill that would make death sentences the default for West Bank Palestinians convicted of murdering Israelis.
- The draft orders military courts that try only West Bank Palestinians to impose death in such cases except in “special circumstances”, while Israeli criminal courts could still choose life terms, a split critics call discriminatory.
- The proposal reduces safeguards by allowing a simple majority of judges to issue a death sentence, sets executions by hanging within about 90 days of a final verdict, and sharply limits clemency.
- Britain, France, Germany and Italy issued a joint rebuke on Sunday over the bill’s “de facto discriminatory” character, and the Council of Europe, UN experts and Amnesty International warned it violates human‑rights norms.
- National Security Minister Itamar Ben‑Gvir backs the bill as a deterrent, but opponents say it could hinder hostage negotiations and damage Israel’s legal standing, with immediate petitions to the Supreme Court expected if it becomes law.