Jerusalem: Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, has advanced a draft law that would impose mandatory death sentences on Palestinians convicted of certain attacks, while allowing Israeli citizens found guilty of similar offences to receive life imprisonment.
The bill passed its first reading on November 10, 2025, by 39 votes to 16 in the 120-member chamber. It was introduced by the far-right Otzma Yehudit party led by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and has the backing of members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition.
What the bill proposes
According to Israeli daily Haaretz, one clause would allow a military commander to determine that a West Bank resident who intentionally caused the death of a person in circumstances defined as terrorism “can be punished only by death,” while specifying that the provision does not apply to Israeli citizens or residents.
Under the draft amendments, military courts in the occupied West Bank would be required to impose the death penalty in qualifying cases and judicial discretion would be removed in certain circumstances. In addition, sentences could be carried out within 90 days of a final ruling.
Israeli citizens accused of comparable offences are tried in civilian courts, where life imprisonment remains available and capital punishment would not be mandatory.
The legislation must pass second and third readings before becoming law. The Knesset’s National Security Committee is currently reviewing the proposal.
Reported prison preparations
Hebrew-language broadcaster Channel 13 reported this week that the Israel Prison Service has begun internal preparations in the event the law is enacted. According to the report, planning discussions include establishing a designated execution facility, referred to internally as the “Israeli Green Mile, drafting procedures for carrying out executions by hanging, training selected personnel and studying implementation models used in other countries.
Channel 13 further reported that a delegation from the prison service is expected to travel to a country in East Asia to examine the legal and administrative framework for enforcing capital punishment. The prison service has not publicly confirmed the reported details.
International reaction
United Nations human rights experts urged Israel on Wednesday, February 4, to withdraw the proposed legislation, warning that mandatory death sentences violate international human rights law by removing judicial discretion and proportionality.
“The draft raises concerns of discrimination because military courts in the West Bank have jurisdiction over Palestinians but not Israeli settlers, who fall under civilian law.”
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said.
“The proposed amendments move Israel against the global trend towards abolishing capital punishment and risk entrenching what it describes as unequal legal treatment. Israeli authorities reject allegations of discrimination, saying the bill is intended to deter terrorism.”
Amnesty International said.
Palestinian prisoners’ rights groups, including the Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club, described the bill as an “unprecedented act of savagery.”
Background
Israel abolished the death penalty for ordinary criminal offences in 1954 but retained it for exceptional crimes such as genocide and treason. It has been used only twice since 1948. The last execution was carried out in 1962 against Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann.
The proposed law comes amid ongoing conflict following the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023, and the subsequent war in Gaza.
