Israel passes law allowing death penalty for terrorism offenses

Israel has adopted a new law that introduces the death penalty for certain terrorism-related crimes, creating two new capital offenses in its legal system. The "Death Penalty for Terrorists Law" applies in Israeli municipal law and in the military legal system operating in the occupied West Bank. Under the municipal law, the death penalty can be imposed for intentional killing defined as terrorism under Israel's 2016 Counter-Terrorism Law, if the act also has "the aim of negating the existence of the State of Israel." The military law offense covers similar acts in the West Bank but explicitly excludes Israeli citizens and residents, meaning it applies mainly to Palestinians. Critics argue that the law effectively targets Palestinians and violates international law, including the right to self-determination and the prohibition of racial discrimination. They note that the law's provisions are unlikely to be applied to Jewish Israelis, creating a discriminatory double standard. The law comes amid ongoing conflict and has drawn condemnation from human rights groups. Israel previously had the death penalty on the books but rarely used it; this law establishes a more active capital punishment regime for terrorism cases. If implemented, the law could lead to the execution of Palestinians convicted of terrorism, while excluding Jewish Israelis who commit similar acts. The Israeli government has defended the law as a necessary tool to combat terrorism.