DaysofPal – The Israeli Knesset on Monday evening passed in its first reading a bill that would impose the death penalty on Palestinian prisoners convicted of killing Israelis in what Israel claims are “terrorist acts.”
According to the Israeli Broadcasting Authority, the bill passed with 39 votes in favor and 16 against in a heated session that saw a verbal clash between Arab lawmaker Ayman Odeh and far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who leads the extremist Jewish Power (Otzma Yehudit) party and sponsored the legislation.
Ben Gvir hailed the move as a “historic step,” urging all parties in both the ruling coalition and the opposition to unite in support of the bill. The proposal had already been endorsed by the Knesset’s National Security Committee last week and requires two more readings before becoming law.
Under the draft law, anyone convicted of intentionally or negligently causing the death of an Israeli citizen when motivated by “hatred or hostility toward Israel” would face capital punishment, with no option for commutation once the sentence is final.
Ben Gvir had earlier threatened to withdraw his party’s support from the government coalition if the bill was not brought to a vote within three weeks of the Knesset’s winter session.
He has also severely tightened the conditions of Palestinian prisoners’ detention in recent months, amid a broader escalation of violations against them and the denial of their basic rights.
Among the punitive measures imposed are bans on family visits, restrictions on food portions, and reductions in access to showers, according to prisoner rights organizations.
The first reading approval of the death penalty bill comes as Palestinians continue to endure the consequences of Israel’s two-year-long genocidal campaign in Gaza, which began on October 7, 2023, as well as the bloody and destructive assault on the occupied West Bank.
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