'Israel' advances death penalty bill for Palestinian detainees, with Netanyahu support

• 'Israel’s' Knesset advanced a bill imposing the death penalty on Palestinians accused of attacks on 'Israelis'.
• The law would not apply to 'Israelis' who kill Palestinians, sparking criticism from opposition and human rights groups.

'Israel’s' Knesset on Monday advanced a controversial bill that would impose mandatory death sentences on Palestinian detainees accused by Tel Aviv of carrying out "terrorist" attacks, marking a significant step toward a policy long championed by far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

The Knesset’s National Security Committee approved the proposal, which is now slated for a preliminary reading in the plenum on Wednesday. The legislation has gained fresh momentum following Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s endorsement, after earlier hesitations over fears it could endanger 'Israeli' captives still held by Hamas in Gaza.

The proposed law, backed by Ben-Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit party, would allow courts to impose the death penalty on those convicted of carrying out what they called “nationalistically motivated murders” of 'Israeli' citizens.  And it would not apply to 'Israelis' who kill Palestinians.

Speaking after the committee’s approval, Ben-Gvir thanked Netanyahu for his support and called for the measure to be made mandatory rather than discretionary.

“I thank the prime minister for his support for Otzma Yehudit’s bill for the death penalty for terrorists,” Ben-Gvir wrote on X. “But the court must not have any discretion, every terrorist who goes out to murder must know that the death penalty will be imposed on him. It’s time for justice!”

Government hostage affairs envoy Gal Hirsch told lawmakers during Monday’s session that Netanyahu now backs the legislation. The bill had previously been postponed amid concerns that such a move could endanger the lives of 'Israeli' captives in Gaza.

If approved in its preliminary reading, the measure would still need to pass three additional votes in the Knesset to become law. 'Israel' currently allows the death penalty only in exceptional cases, such as for Nazi war criminals, a punishment imposed just once in the country’s history, on Adolf Eichmann in 1962.

The proposal has faced strong criticism from opposition lawmakers and human rights groups, who warn it could inflame tensions and further erode judicial independence.