Israeli Knesset approves 'Palestinian prisoner execution' bill, paving the way for final vote

The Israeli occupation authorities have taken a new step towards legalizing the liquidation of Palestinian prisoners, as the Knesset's National Security Committee approved the 'execution of prisoners' bill. This approval came after technical amendments were introduced to the original draft, in preparation for its presentation for second and third readings before the parliament goes on Passover holiday in early April.

This legislative move is led by the extremist National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, leader of the 'Jewish Power' party, who enjoys direct support from the ruling 'Likud' party headed by Benjamin Netanyahu. The opposition 'Yisrael Beiteinu' party also joined the list of supporters of the law, reflecting a broad right-wing consensus on targeting Palestinian prisoners with unprecedented punitive measures.

The text of the bill reveals a clear discriminatory nature, as it exclusively targets Palestinians accused of killing Israelis for nationalistic motives, while exempting Israelis who commit murders against Palestinians. Observers believe that this legislation is not a judicial tool to achieve justice, but rather a retaliatory measure directed against the Palestinian people under legal cover.

The death penalty is a rare precedent in the history of Israeli judiciary, having been carried out only once in 1962 against the Nazi official Adolf Eichmann. The new bill aims to withdraw discretionary powers from judges, by making the death penalty mandatory upon conviction, while preventing the commutation or replacement of the sentence after its final issuance.

Sources reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office intervened to make amendments to the wording to ensure its alignment with some international standards, fearing diplomatic prosecution. Despite these amendments, the proposed punishment remains execution by hanging, which raises serious concerns about prisons turning into arenas for carrying out unjust sentences that lack the minimum standards of a fair trial.

For its part, Amnesty International warned of the repercussions of this law, describing it as solidifying the apartheid system. The organization stressed that proceeding with this legislation puts Israel in direct confrontation with the global trend to abolish the death penalty, and its implementation could constitute a full-fledged war crime.

On the Palestinian side, forces, factions, and human rights organizations unanimously rejected the law, considering it a bloody escalation that exploits the international community's preoccupation with regional crises. Prisoner institutions issued a joint statement affirming that the occupation seeks to physically liquidate prisoners after failing to break their will inside the cells.

Official statistics indicate the presence of about 9,350 Palestinian prisoners in occupation prisons as of the beginning of this year, including hundreds of children and women, and thousands of administrative detainees. The pace of violations has escalated since last October, with more than a hundred prisoners martyred as a result of torture and deliberate medical negligence, amid a complete Israeli blackout.

This law is closely linked to the rise of the far-right and Ben-Gvir's assumption of the National Security portfolio, as he adopts an openly incitement rhetoric against Palestinians. Ben-Gvir has been known for his provocative practices inside prisons, including reducing food rations and closing bakeries, in an attempt to impose a bitter living reality on detainees.

Detained political leaders were not spared from this incitement, as the leader Marwan Barghouti was subjected to a series of documented physical assaults. Ben-Gvir appeared in videos threatening Barghouti inside his cell, in a clear message aimed at undermining Palestinian national symbols who have been detained for many years.

Human rights reports confirm that the assaults on Barghouti reached the point of severe beating that led to broken ribs and loss of consciousness on one occasion. These practices come in the context of the 'systematic humiliation' policy pursued by the occupation against prisoners, which the execution law aims to crown by officially and legally ending their lives.

The international inability to curb Israeli policies has provided cover for the Knesset to proceed with legislation that flagrantly violates the right to life. Human rights activists believe that the silence of the international community encourages the occupation authorities to turn the judiciary into a military tool that implements extremist political agendas serving the ruling right-wing.

In light of these developments, Palestinians are demanding urgent international action in international courts to stop this law before it comes into actual effect. Prisoner institutions emphasize the need to activate international protection mechanisms for detainees who today face the risk of death by a political decision wrapped in a false legislative cover.

The execution bill remains a real test for the international system and its ability to protect human rights in the occupied territories. As the Knesset prepares for the final vote, thousands of prisoners and their families await an unknown fate under a government that does not hesitate to use all means to solidify its occupation and suppress any voice demanding freedom.

The approval of the bill represents an unprecedented escalation and an absolute mandate to carry out death sentences against Palestinians, which may amount to war crimes.