Israel Votes Death by Hanging for Palestinians: The Law That Shook the World

Israel's parliament passed, by 62 votes to 48, a law making the death penalty the default sentence for Palestinians from the West Bank convicted of murder before a military court. The text does not apply retroactively to prisoners linked to the 7 October attacks, a point reported unanimously. Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir is identified as the architect of the measure, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offering late and discreet support.

The vote comes in a particularly charged context: Israel is simultaneously engaged in a conflict with Iran, an operation in Lebanon and a tightening of its military control over the West Bank. This convergence turns a parliamentary decision into an international issue that goes well beyond the framework of domestic criminal law.

Reactions abroad are sharply divided. Several European capitals condemn the principle of capital punishment and denounce a measure they consider discriminatory, while stopping short of announcing concrete sanctions. Other actors see it as a sign of a worsening situation for Palestinians, whereas the United States emphasizes respect for Israeli sovereignty. Some countries limit themselves to factual coverage, without taking a moral stance.

The disagreements concern not so much the facts as their interpretation: how the law is characterized, how much weight is given to Palestinian voices and the use of terms such as "apartheid" vary widely among actors. The real scope of the text also remains uncertain. Israel's Supreme Court appears to be the main check on the measure: a possible invalidation of the law could weaken the governing coalition, making the judicial outcome the central unknown of the case.