Israel Advances Bill Proposing Death Penalty for ‘Terrorists,’ Moves to Curb Foreign Media
Israel’s parliament yesterday passed the first reading of legislation that would authorize the death penalty for individuals convicted of terrorism offenses, likely impacting Palestinian defendants, and simultaneously approved a measure granting the government power to close foreign media outlets without judicial review.
The death penalty bill, brought forward by far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s Jewish Power party, passed by a vote of 39 to 16. Ben-Gvir celebrated the vote, stating, “After the law is finally passed – terrorists will only be released to hell.” The proposed law specifically targets those convicted of murder motivated by racism or hatred against the public, with the intent to harm the State of Israel, and could lead to a significant shift in Israeli legal practices regarding Palestinian prisoners. Currently, the death penalty exists for a limited number of crimes in Israel, but has only been used twice since the country’s founding in 1948, most recently in 1962 for the trial of Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann.
Simultaneously, the Knesset approved a separate bill, 50 to 41, that would allow the government to close foreign media organizations without requiring court approval. This legislation seeks to formalize a temporary order used in May 2024 to shut down Al Jazeera, and has drawn criticism from civil rights groups who argue it infringes on freedom of the press. The Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) previously argued the temporary order “violates freedom of expression, the right to information and freedom of the press.” This move comes after years of accusations from Israeli officials that Al Jazeera exhibits anti-Israel bias.
The advancement of these bills follows the recent completion of a hostage exchange deal with Hamas, which saw the release of 20 Israeli hostages in exchange for approximately 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Limor Son Har-Melech, a member of Jewish Power and sponsor of the death penalty bill, commented, “A dead terrorist does not get released alive.” Both bills must pass two additional readings in the Knesset before becoming law, and officials have indicated they will be prepared for further parliamentary debate.
