Jerusalem: Israeli Knesset’s Security Committee approved on Monday a bill that would allow the execution of Palestinian prisoners.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency – WAFA, the approval came after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave the green light for the bill. The committee has referred it to the Knesset plenum for discussion and a vote in the upcoming legislative stages, with a vote expected next Wednesday.
The bill is part of the coalition government agreements formed by Likud party leader Benjamin Netanyahu and Jewish Power party leader Itamar Ben-Gvir in late 2022. It stipulates “the death penalty for anyone who intentionally or negligently causes the death of an Israeli citizen out of racist or hateful motives and to harm Israel.” This proposal is not new; it has been introduced and debated multiple times, most recently in 2022 when extremist minister Ben-Gvir reintroduced it with several amendments.
The legislative process in Israel involves several stages, beginning with the drafting of a bill by a Knesset member or a government committee. Once the Knesset Speaker approves the proposed laws, they are brought before the Knesset plenum for a preliminary reading. If approved, the bill is then referred to a parliamentary committee for further discussion in preparation for its first reading.
The current bill, submitted by the government, bypasses a preliminary debate and proceeds directly to the first reading. Bills approved in the first reading are published in the official gazette, after which a vote is held to either reject them or allow them to proceed to further debate. If the proposal passes the first reading, it is referred to a specialized Knesset committee for preparation for second and third readings.
Once the proposal is approved in three readings, it becomes part of the State of Israel’s legal code and is published in the official records, thus entering into force. The push to pass this controversial law comes amidst ongoing conflict, as described by WAFA, within the context of a war waged by the Israeli occupation against people in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank since October 7th of last year.