Israel: Politicians debate Palestinian death penalty

Members of the Israeli National Security Committee have been debating the method of execution, namely “lethal injection”, for Palestinian prisoners under a proposed death penalty bill, according to the Middle East Eye and agencies on November 19th.

The bill passed its first Knesset reading by a vote of 39 to 16, although two subsequent readings are required before it becomes law.

Under the proposed amendment to the penal code, Palestinians convicted of killing Israelis on “nationalistic grounds” would be eligible to receive a death sentence. However, Israelis convicted of similar crimes seem to be exempt from the planned reforms, as the bill states that  “anyone who murders a Jew solely because they are Jewish, including planners or dispatchers, shall be punished only by death.”

Key advocates of the bill include National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Limor Son Har-Melech, both members of the far-right Otzma Yehudit (“Jewish Power”), with the former leading the party in the Likud-led governing coalition.

Another Jewish Power member, Tzvika Foghel, wrote the guiding principles of the proposed law, which justifies the execution of Palestinians, saying, “the death penalty will ensure that there are no more bargaining chips and no more deals paid for with future Jewish blood.”

Ben-Gvir has sought the granting of pardons for Israeli extremists convicted of killing Palestinians, with Ben-Gvir being a signatory to a letter urging as such.

One prisoner that some Israelis are urging the release of is Amiram Ben-Uliel, who was convicted in 2020 for an arson attack on a Palestinian family that killed three people. Ben-Uliel was part of the Hilltop Youth, a Jewish settler group.

A trained lawyer, Ben-Gvir has built a reputation for defending Israeli settlers accused of anti-Palestinian incitement and violence. Ben-Gvir has repeatedly glorified Jewish supremacists, such as mass murderer Baruch Goldstein and extremist rabbi Meir Kahane.

During an interview with Ynet, Har-Melech stated: “There is no moral justification for keeping Jews in prison who, even if they made a mistake, pose no danger to the public.”

Her-Melech was present at the storming of a prison on July 29th, when far-right Israelis stormed the Sde Teiman prison over the arrest of nine Israeli soldiers over the abuse of a Palestinian detainee.

The soldiers were accused of assault and rape, which was defended by those who broke into the facility; Ben-Gvir described the arrests as “shameful.”

Middle East Eye and agencies, Maghrebi.org