NEW YORK: The United Nations has sharply criticised Israel’s parliament for passing a new death penalty bill. It described the law as “cruel and discriminatory” and warned that using it in the occupied Palestinian territory would amount to a war crime.
A spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Tuesday that the world body opposes the death penalty in all situations and in every country.
“The discriminatory nature of this particular law makes it particularly cruel,” said Stephane Dujarric. He urged the Israeli government to cancel the bill and not implement it.
New Law Targets Palestinians in West Bank
Under the law passed late Monday, Palestinian prisoners in the occupied West Bank will face the death penalty as the default sentence if convicted by Israeli military courts for “terrorism” attacks that cause death.
UN human rights chief Volker Turk also demanded that Israel immediately repeal the bill. He said it clearly violates Israel’s obligations under international law.
Palestinians in the West Bank are tried in military courts, while Israelis are tried in civilian courts. This creates two separate legal systems — one much harsher for Palestinians. In civilian courts, judges can still choose between death or life imprisonment.
Death Penalty Rarely Used by Israel
Israel has carried out the death penalty only twice in its history — once in 1948 against a military captain for treason, and once in 1962 when it executed Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann.
Turk stressed that the death penalty is “profoundly difficult to reconcile with human dignity.” He warned that applying it in a discriminatory way would be an especially serious breach of international law.
“Its application to residents of the occupied Palestinian territory would constitute a war crime,” he added.
Concern Over Another Discriminatory Bill
The UN rights chief also raised alarm over a second bill now being discussed in the Israeli parliament. This bill aims to create a special military court to try crimes linked to the October 7 Hamas attack. Importantly, this court would not have power over crimes committed by Israeli forces in the occupied territories.
“I urge the Knesset to reject this bill,” Turk said. He warned that it would create one-sided justice that only targets Palestinians.
These new laws, he said, will deepen racial segregation and apartheid-like policies by unfairly targeting Palestinians, who often face unfair trials.
