Overview
- The draft creates two tracks that make the death penalty mandatory: military courts in the occupied West Bank for terrorism offenses causing death, including unintended, and civilian courts in Israel and occupied East Jerusalem for the intentional killing of Israeli citizens or residents.
- The experts warn of severe due process defects, including mandatory sentences, simple-majority military judicial votes, no pardon or commutation, curtailed access to counsel, weak appeals, possible retroactivity, and executions by hanging within 90 days under secrecy provisions.
- They say the scheme would operate in a discriminatory manner because Palestinians are largely subject to military law, and the civilian-track offense applies only to killings of Israeli citizens or residents, excluding Palestinian victims.
- Israel has not executed since 1962, yet the bill is being advanced through Knesset committees with prior backing from 39 lawmakers, and a National Security Committee session next week could clear the way for final readings.
- Amnesty International and UN human-rights officials, including High Commissioner Volker Türk, have condemned the measure, which is politically championed by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.