Palestinians inspect a torched vehicle following Israeli settlers' rampage through nearby Nablus-area villages on Sunday night, in West Bank village of Deir al-Hatab, Monday, March 23, 2026. (AP Photo)
Israel's parliament approved a bill on March 30 that would allow the execution of Palestinians convicted on terror charges for deadly attacks, a move that has been criticized as discriminatory and immediately drew a court challenge.
Sixty-two lawmakers, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, voted in favor and 48 against the bill, championed by far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.
There was one abstention and the rest of the lawmakers were not present.
Ben Gvir, in the run-up to the vote, had worn a lapel pin in the shape of a noose, symbolizing his support for the legislation.
"We made history!!! We promised. We delivered," he posted on X after the vote.
The bill would make the death penalty the default punishment for Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank found guilty of intentionally carrying out deadly attacks deemed "acts of terrorism" by an Israeli military court.
The bill says that the sentence may be reduced to life imprisonment under "special circumstances.”
Palestinians in the West Bank are automatically tried in Israeli military courts.
The Council of Europe said the adoption of the law "represents a serious regression."
Germany said it could "not endorse" the new law passed in Israel.
In contrast, the United States said March 30 it respected "Israel's sovereign right to determine its own laws and penalties for individuals convicted of terrorism."
The bill sets the execution method as hanging, adding that it should be carried out within 90 days of the sentencing, with a possible postponement of up to 180 days.
The bill appears to conflict with Israel's Basic Laws, which prohibit arbitrary discrimination, and shortly after it was passed, a leading human rights group announced that it had filed a petition with the Supreme Court demanding the legislation's annulment.
