US EditionUN Rights Chief Urges Israel to Drop Discriminatory Death Penalty Proposals
The UN human rights chief condemned the bill as discriminatory and violating due process by mandating death sentences exclusively for Palestinians, breaching international law obligations.
- On Friday, United Nations high commissioner for human rights Volker Türk denounced draft Knesset bills that would impose mandatory death sentences exclusively on Palestinians, calling them discriminatory and deeply troubling.
- In November, the Knesset advanced three bills pushed by Otzma Yehudit party, but the proposals require two more readings to become law.
- Human-Rights experts warned that the draft law removes judicial discretion, violates the right to life, could apply retroactively to October 7, 2023 attack convictions, and denies fair trials to Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
- Amid the Gaza war since October 7, 2023, the measures advanced by the Knesset in November drew condemnation from Amnesty International, the Palestine Liberation Organization and Hamas, and the UN criticized tightened humanitarian restrictions including NGO bans.
- If passed, the law could prompt increased international legal scrutiny and deepen humanitarian harm as the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported 238 Palestinians, including 56 children, killed since early 2025 and some Israeli leaders are wanted by the International Criminal Court.
17 Articles
17 Articles
UN Human Rights chief urges Israel to drop death penalty bill targeting Palestinians
GENEVA: United Nations (UN) Human Rights Chief Volker Turk on Friday urged the Israeli authorities to drop plans to introduce new legislation that would impose mandatory death sentences exclusively on Palestinians under certain circumstances, both in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and in Israel.
UN Human Rights Chief Rips Israeli Legislation to Execute Palestinians
The United Nations high commissioner for human rights forcefully denounced proposed Israeli legislation that would effectively "impose mandatory death sentences exclusively on Palestinians under certain circumstances, both in the occupied Palestinian territory and in Israel."
UN Human Rights Commissioner Türk has called on Israel to drop a planned law to extend the death penalty.
Historical and Modern Voices of Reason Against Israel’s Death Penalty Bill: Pt.2
… murderous tendencies.” South Africa: Nelson Mandela and … Poland: Halina Bortnowska Staying for the moment in Eastern Europe … Vatican: All 21st-century Popes From Italy, we can turn to the Vatican … values Israel seeks to uphold.” American Founding Fathers …
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