Israel approves controversial death penalty for Palestinians
The U.S. State Department has refrained from criticizing Israel’s newly passed “death penalty law” targeting Palestinian prisoners.
The State Department said, “The U.S. respects Israel’s sovereign right to determine its own laws and punishments for individuals convicted of terrorism,” CE Report quotes Anadolu Agency.
Israel approves death penalty for Palestinian prisoners
The Israeli parliament recently approved a controversial law allowing the death penalty for Palestinian prisoners.
While the statement did not offer criticism of the law, it added that the U.S. trusts Israel to implement such measures “within a framework respecting fair trial guarantees and appropriate judicial protections.”
Key provisions of the law
- Execution would be carried out by prison guards appointed by the Israeli Prison Service. The identity of the executing guard would remain secret, and they would have immunity from prosecution.
- Prisoners sentenced to death would be held in separate detention centers, with visits restricted to authorized personnel; lawyers would meet with prisoners only via video.
- Death sentences could be issued without a formal request from the prosecution, and a simple majority vote would suffice—unanimity would not be required.
- Military courts in the Israeli-occupied West Bank could also impose the death penalty, with the Defense Minister able to submit opinions to the court.
- The law closes avenues for pardon and appeal for Palestinian prisoners sentenced to death.
- For Israeli prisoners, the death penalty could be commuted to life imprisonment.
- The law cites killing an Israeli or a resident in order to deny Israel’s existence as a justification for the death penalty.
