FRANCE PERSPECTIVE

"With God's help, we will kill our enemies" — Le Monde chose this Ben-Gvir quote as its headline, summarizing in seven words the fusion of the religious and the penal that runs through this law. The article reveals a crucial detail that few media outlets note: settlers who commit acts of terror against Palestinians will not be subject to the law, since it only targets murders committed "with the intention of denying Israel's existence". France Info documents the mechanics of a two-tiered legal system: military courts for Palestinians in the West Bank, civil courts for Israeli citizens. Execution by hanging must take place within 90 days, with no possibility of pardon. France 24 adds the diplomatic dimension: the European Commission speaks of a "clear setback", Berlin of a law "apparently exclusively" intended for Palestinians, and Pedro Sánchez crosses a line by evoking "another step towards apartheid". Only Washington, the article notes, "respects Israel's sovereign right". French coverage is the most explicit on the key word: "tailored precisely to apply only to Palestinians" appears in every article. This is no accident — France, an abolitionist country since 1981 with Badinter as its tutelary figure, treats the subject as a civilizational regression, not merely a political one. RFI, in an article from Madrid, also frames international reaction by citing NGOs that denounce "a setback of several decades". 20 Minutes uses the qualifier "decried" in its headline — a word in French that signals not merely disagreement but a broad moral rejection. French coverage is also distinguished by the depth of its legal context: France Info details the distinction between the West Bank occupied since 1967 (military courts) and Israeli territory (civil courts), with a 90-day execution timeline that recalls the expedited procedures that France itself abolished.