Four European nations condemn Israel's death penalty bill

By Ahmet Taş | Wise News Press

JERUSALEM, Israel — The foreign ministers of Germany, the United Kingdom, France, and Italy have jointly expressed "deep concern" regarding a controversial Israeli bill that would introduce the death penalty for convicted terrorists.

The proposed legislation, which is moving forward under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing government, has sparked international backlash over its potential human rights violations. European leaders and institutions are urging the Israeli Parliament (Knesset) to halt the process, citing the discriminatory nature of the draft and the universal opposition to capital punishment.

Official European statements

In a joint statement published in English on Sunday, the four European nations called on the Israeli government and Knesset members to stop the legislation. According to DW Türkçe, the ministers emphasized that the bill has a "de facto discriminatory character." They further reiterated their global opposition to the death penalty under any circumstances, describing it as an "inhuman and degrading form of punishment" that lacks any real deterrent effect.

Joining the European foreign ministers, Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset also urged the Israeli parliament not to approve the draft. Berset warned that passing the bill would represent a "severe step back" from the de facto moratorium on the death penalty that Israel has maintained for decades.

Details of the proposed bill

The controversial legislation currently debated in Israel seeks to mandate the death penalty for individuals who cause the death of an Israeli citizen due to "racist motives or hostility toward a community."

Critics argue that the wording and intended application of the bill specifically target Palestinians. Concerns have been raised that the law would be applied asymmetrically; for instance, if an Israeli were to kill a Palestinian under similar motives, the same capital punishment would not be enforced.

Netanyahu's government plans to present the draft to the Knesset for its second and third readings on Monday. Should the law pass the parliamentary votes, it is widely expected to face immediate legal challenges at the Israeli Supreme Court.

Historical context and UN warnings

While the death penalty is theoretically possible for certain exceptional crimes under Israeli law, it has not been actively implemented in practice. The last execution carried out in the country took place in 1962, targeting the convicted Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann.

The legislative move has also alarmed international legal experts. Last month, United Nations legal specialists warned that the new regulation would eliminate judicial discretion. The UN experts noted that the mandatory nature of the proposed sentences would prevent courts from determining fair penalties based on an offender's individual level of responsibility.

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