Widespread Arab and Islamic Condemnation of the Approval of the Palestinian Prisoner Execution Law: An Escalation That Undermines Stability

Eight Arab and Islamic countries today, Thursday, condemned the Israeli Knesset's approval of a law providing for the execution of Palestinian prisoners, describing it as legislation that represents a dangerous escalation threatening regional stability. The foreign ministers of Jordan, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Turkey, Indonesia, and Pakistan affirmed in a joint statement that this measure falls within systematic policies to entrench the apartheid system.

The Israeli Knesset had approved the law with a majority of 62 members against the opposition of 48 deputies, which grants the occupation authorities the power to carry out the death penalty by hanging against prisoners convicted of killing Israelis. The new law allows for the issuance of death sentences by a simple majority of judges, without the need for unanimity, and also provides complete immunity and secrecy for the guards and officials responsible for carrying out these sentences.

The joint ministerial statement warned that these measures reflect an exclusionary approach that denies the existence of the Palestinian people and their legitimate rights in their occupied land. The ministers pointed out that the discriminatory application of this law against Palestinians will inevitably lead to an escalation of tensions in the region and undermine any remaining opportunities for achieving peace or stability.

The signatory countries of the statement expressed their deep concern about the harsh conditions faced by prisoners in occupation prisons, based on reliable reports documenting serious violations. These violations include systematic torture, inhumane treatment, a deliberate starvation policy, and depriving detainees of their most basic legal and human rights guaranteed by international conventions.

In a related context, the State of Palestine submitted an official request to hold an extraordinary session of the Council of the League of Arab States at the level of permanent delegates urgently. The proposed meeting aims to discuss ways to address the escalating Israeli violations in the occupied city of Jerusalem, and to confront the legal and humanitarian repercussions of approving the prisoner execution law.

For its part, the Sultanate of Oman denounced the new legislation, affirming that it represents a blatant violation of international humanitarian law, especially agreements related to the protection of prisoners and detainees. Muscat called on the international community to assume its responsibilities and ensure respect for international laws and provide the necessary protection for Palestinians inside occupation prisons to avoid further security deterioration.

In Yemen, Iraq, and Libya, official statements were issued describing the decision as a legislative precedent that entrenches the approach of genocide and racial discrimination. The Iraqi Foreign Ministry considered the decision a grave violation of justice, while Libya called on the international community to immediately pressure the occupation authorities to stop implementing this law, which violates the four Geneva Conventions.

At the popular and parliamentary levels, the Mauritanian capital, Nouakchott, witnessed massive demonstrations in front of the United Nations representation, in which deputies from various political spectrums participated. 31 Mauritanian parties, including the ruling party and the opposition, signed a unified statement demanding the annulment of the law, considering it a crime against humanity that requires the international prosecution of the occupation leaders.

The League of Arab States described the law as a shameful form of apartheid, affirming that it contradicts the most basic moral and legal principles. The Council of Arab Interior Ministers also affirmed that this legislation amounts to a war crime, as it targets a protected group under international law and deprives them of their right to fair and impartial trials.

The opposition was not limited to the Arab and international sides, but also extended to internal voices, as about 1200 Israeli figures, including Nobel laureates and former judges, signed a petition rejecting the law. The signatories described the legislation as a 'moral stain' that will lead to Israel's international isolation and deepen internal divisions over the legitimacy of discriminatory laws.

Human rights statistics indicate the presence of more than 9500 Palestinian prisoners in occupation prisons, including hundreds of children and women who live in tragic conditions. Sources confirm that prisons have witnessed the martyrdom of 89 prisoners since last October 7 due to deliberate medical negligence and physical and psychological torture practiced by the prison administration.

In Brussels, diplomatic sources reported that the European Union is considering imposing specific sanctions on Israel if the death sentences are actually implemented. The Union believes that this trend represents a dangerous regression from universal humanitarian values, and puts Israel in direct confrontation with international obligations that prohibit cruel and inhumane punishments.

The Tunisian Ennahda movement also joined the wave of condemnation, describing the law as shameful and unjust, and called on the United Nations to intervene urgently to stop this heinous crime. The movement stressed that the international community's silence on these legislations encourages the occupation to proceed with violating all treaties and conventions related to prisoners' rights.

Arab foreign ministers concluded their statement by emphasizing the need to ensure international accountability for Israel for all its ongoing violations against the Palestinian people. They called for intensified diplomatic efforts to prevent the implementation of this law, warning that harming the lives of prisoners will lead to an uncontrollable explosion of the situation in the occupied territories.

This legislation constitutes a dangerous escalation that entrenches the apartheid system and adopts an exclusionary discourse that denies the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people.