Ramallah: Hundreds of Palestinians took to the streets of Ramallah to voice their opposition to the newly passed Israeli death penalty law for Palestinian prisoners. The march was part of a broader general strike called by Fatah and other national and Islamic factions in the northern West Bank.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, the march was organized by Fatah, other national and Islamic factions, and prisoners' rights organizations within the Ramallah governorate. The demonstrators moved through the city center, chanting slogans against the law and urging the international community to step in and halt what they described as the occupation's crimes against prisoners.
The protest comes after the Israeli Knesset passed the law in its second and third readings earlier this week, with 62 members voting in favor, 48 against, and one abstention. The legislation mandates the death penalty for individuals convicted of intentionally causing death in acts classified as 'terrorism,' with no possibility of pardon, making the sentence final.
The bill specifies that the death penalty can be imposed without a unanimous judicial decision, with executions to be carried out by hanging by the Israeli Prison Service within 90 days of the sentencing. Notably, the law applies differently between Israel and the West Bank, where it is the primary punishment unless the military court, under policies set by the defense minister, decides otherwise.
Moreover, the law provides the prime minister with the authority to request delays in the execution under 'special circumstances,' although such delays are limited to a maximum of 180 days.