Knesset committee advances bill introducing death penalty for terrorists
The proposed law, backed by the Otzma Yehudit party, would allow military courts to impose capital punishment by majority vote for attacks motivated by hatred toward Israel.
The Knesset’s National Security Committee, chaired by Zvika Fogel, approved on Monday the first reading of a bill proposing the death penalty for perpetrators of terrorist attacks. The measure, introduced by the Otzma Yehudit party, is scheduled to go before the Knesset for its initial plenary vote on Wednesday.
According to the draft law, any individual who murders an Israeli citizen out of hatred or hostility toward the State of Israel, or with the intent to harm the state and the Jewish people, would face a mandatory death sentence.
The bill further stipulates that military courts could impose the penalty by a simple majority of judges rather than a unanimous decision, and that final death sentences could not be commuted.
The bill’s authors argue that the legislation seeks to “root out terrorism at its source” and strengthen deterrence, citing a rise in attacks targeting Jews “simply because of their Jewishness.” They contend that the reform would end what they describe as a “reality in which terrorists enjoy comfortable detention conditions and are sometimes released through political deals.”
Gal Hirsch, the government’s coordinator for missing persons and hostages, told the committee he had reversed his earlier opposition after discussions with the Prime Minister. “I spoke with the Prime Minister, who also supports this bill,” Hirsch said. “It is an additional tool in the fight against terrorism.”
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir strongly defended the proposal, declaring: “Those who have murdered, raped, and kidnapped our sons and daughters do not deserve to see the light of day again. The death penalty is not only moral and just, it is essential to the State’s security and serves as a powerful deterrent.”
Committee chair Zvika Fogel hailed the vote as a “historic moment,” asserting that the measure would end “release agreements” and “hotels for terrorists,” marking “an important first step toward real deterrence and justice for the victims.”
The bill will now proceed through the legislative process in the Knesset, where upcoming debates are expected to be contentious, focusing on its effectiveness, human rights implications, and the expanded authority of military courts under the proposed reform.