Death Penalty for Palestinian Terrorists Takes Effect in Judea and Samaria
Military courts can impose death sentences by a simple majority, and the law excludes Israeli citizens, after legal and international opposition.
- On Sunday night, Gen. Avi Bluth, commander of the Israel Defense Forces Central Command, signed a military order officially enacting a law imposing the death penalty on Palestinians convicted of terror-related murders against Israelis.
- The Knesset passed this legislation on March 30, 2026, with 62 lawmakers in favor and 48 against, allowing military courts to impose capital punishment for terrorism-motivated killings while removing pardon authority.
- National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Defense Minister Israel Katz applauded the implementation, stating "We promised, and we delivered," and emphasizing that "after October 7, Israel is changing the equation."
- The Association for Civil Rights in Israel petitioned the Israeli Supreme Court to overturn the law, arguing it is discriminatory; the court ordered the state to respond by May 24.
- Critics argue that proving the intention to "negate the existence of the State of Israel" may be difficult, while The United Nations Human Rights Office condemned the legislation as violating international fair trial standards.
21 Articles
21 Articles
Death Penalty for Palestinian Terrorists Takes Effect in Judea and Samaria
(JNS)- The law providing capital punishment for convicted terrorist murderers took effect in Judea and Samaria on Sunday after the head of the Israel Defense Forces Central Command signed a military order implementing the measure. “At the instruction of Defense Minister Israel Katz, OC Central Command Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth signed an amendment … enabling […]
Death penalty law for Palestinian prisoners comes into force in West Bank
Israel has officially implemented a law allowing military courts in the occupied West Bank to hand down death sentences to Palestinian prisoners after a military order was signed by the commander of the Israeli army’s Central Command. Israeli media outlets Haaretz and Times of Israel reported that Major General Avi Blot approved the order on Sunday evening, May 17, bringing the legislation into effect across the occupied territory. The measure a…
General Avi Bluth, head of the IDF Central Command, commanding the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, signed a regulation stipulating that a military court hearing a case involving a fatal act of terrorism should apply the death penalty as the only possible punishment. Only extraordinary circumstances can change it to life imprisonment. This law has sparked controversy and protests worldwide because it is constructed in such a way that it appl…
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