Global backlash after Israel passes death penalty law for Palestinians

Human rights organisations and Palestinian officials have strongly criticised new Israeli legislation authorising the death penalty for Palestinians convicted of carrying out deadly attacks, warning that it violates international law and institutionalises discrimination.

The law, approved by Israel’s parliament on Monday, introduces capital punishment by hanging as the standard sentence for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank found guilty of killing Israelis. The measure was pushed by far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who celebrated its passage after lawmakers voted 62 to 48 in favour.

Ben-Gvir dismissed international pressure to halt the law, declaring that Israel would not yield to external criticism.

The move comes amid escalating violence in the West Bank, including increased military operations, settler attacks and mass arrests, alongside the ongoing war in Gaza. Israel’s Association for Civil Rights has challenged the legislation in the Supreme Court.

Palestinian authorities described the law as a “dangerous escalation”, arguing that it attempts to legitimise extrajudicial killings under a legal framework while asserting Israeli control over occupied territory.

Hamas warned that the legislation sets a “dangerous precedent” that could endanger Palestinian detainees, urging global bodies such as the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross to intervene.

Mustafa Barghouti, a senior Palestinian political figure, said the law reflects an increasingly hardline shift within Israel’s political system and criticised the lack of meaningful international action.

Rights groups, including the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, condemned the measure as a violation of international humanitarian law, warning it could deepen impunity and weaken global legal norms if left unchallenged.

The United Nations’ human rights office called for the law to be repealed, reiterating its opposition to capital punishment and warning that its application would breach prohibitions against cruel and discriminatory treatment. It also raised concerns that the law targets Palestinians exclusively, reinforcing claims of systemic inequality.

Amnesty International labelled the move a stark display of discrimination and disregard for human rights, linking it to a broader pattern of alleged unlawful killings and lack of accountability.

European officials also voiced concern. Council of Europe Secretary-General Alain Berset described the law as a serious step backwards, arguing that capital punishment is incompatible with modern human rights standards, particularly if applied in a discriminatory manner.

Ireland’s Foreign Minister Helen McEntee criticised the legislation’s discriminatory implications and reaffirmed opposition to the death penalty under any circumstances, urging Israel not to enforce the law.

Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said several European countries, including Germany, France and the United Kingdom, had called on Israel to withdraw the bill, stressing that the death penalty violates human dignity and contradicts international commitments to its abolition.