For decades, Israel has long been the target of terrorists from the Middle East and also those from other parts of the world. Countless people died in acts of violence and destruction committed by the terrorists. Knowing this, the Knesset of Israel approved a bill that would legislate the death penalty for terrorists with the tally of 62 to 48, according to a news report by The Jerusalem Post.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of The Jerusalem Post. Some parts in boldface…
The Knesset plenum passed a law mandating the death penalty for terrorists in Israel in final readings on Monday evening. The bill passed with 62 lawmakers in favor, 48 against, and one abstained.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived at the Knesset to vote in favor of the controversial legislation, openly showing his support.
The bill, which was sponsored by far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit Party, would, according to its proponents, act as a deterrent against terror and serve a measure of justice for victims of terrorism.
Ben-Gvir has pushed for the legislation since the start of his tenure as national security minister, repeatedly stating that its passage was a condition of Otzma Yehudit’s coalition agreement with Netanyahu.
Upon the bill’s passage, Ben-Gvir celebrated, stating, “Today, the State of Israel changes the rules of the game: anyone who murders Jews will no longer breathe freely or enjoy prison privileges.”
“This is a day of justice for the victims, a day of deterrence for the enemies. No more revolving doors for terrorists, only a clear decision. Those who choose terror choose death. Those who believe do not fear. The people of Israel live!” he added.
Discussions on the bill have been held in the plenum since morning, ahead of its second and third readings. The bill passed its first reading in November 2025 and has been debated in the Knesset National Security Committee since then.
The updated outline of the bill proposes that executions for terrorists would be carried out by hanging, implemented by the Israel Prison Service. The bill stipulates that a terrorist who intentionally kills a person as part of an act of terrorism will be sentenced to death.
From the outset, Ben-Gvir wanted an automatic death penalty for terrorism convictions, and that was the outline passed in the first reading. The revised version stipulates that a judge would decide between capital punishment and life in prison.
Terrorists from the West Bank, however, would still get the automatic death penalty, barring specific appeals.
The legislation has undergone several changes in recent weeks to soften some of its technical aspects, following criticism that certain provisions were too harsh or unrealistic.
The bill had also originally proposed carrying out executions by lethal injection before switching to hanging. Under the current outline, the execution would be carried out within a defined time frame of up to 90 days from the date of the sentence.
Strong opposition to the bill has also come from lawmakers within the Arab parties in the Knesset. Ben-Gvir has clashed with them on numerous occasions as the bill was being developed.
Yisrael Beytenu Party leader Avigdor Liberman voted in favor of the bill after his stance had been unclear. On Sunday, it was reported that his party would only vote in favor of the bill if Netanyahu and Arye Deri, leader of the Shas Party, arrived to vote.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid) stated that he opposed the bill during remarks at the plenum. “What is on the Knesset table here is not a law. It is a distorted public-relations stunt, cynically using the justifiable pain and anger of Israeli citizens for political gain,” he said.
Blue and White Party leader Benny Gantz also voted against the bill.
The haredi Sephardic Shas Party stated on Monday that it would vote in favor of the death penalty bill at the directive of the Council of Torah Sages, after various changes were made to it.
Content of the death penalty bill – Representatives from several Jewish human rights organizations have attended multiple committee discussions, voicing opposition to the bill on ethical grounds.
After the Knesset National Security Committee advanced the bill last week for its final readings, Ben-Gvir called it a “historic moment of justice” and vowed to “continue to lead an uncompromising policy against terrorism.”
The Knesset committee has held marathon discussions on the bill to advance it rapidly, with the discussions continuing amid the war. Opposition lawmakers have sharply criticized the coalition for advancing controversial legislation unrelated to the war during Operation Roaring Lion.
MK Zvika Fogel (Otzma Yehudit) opened remarks at the plenum on the bill on Monday, saying that “This law is not about revenge or rage, but about the responsibility of a state towards its citizens, the responsibility of leadership towards human life.“
For other updates about what has been going lately in the Middle East, watch the YouTube news videos below.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think the approved death penalty bill for terrorists has been long overdue? Do you know anyone who was killed by Islamic terrorists?
You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.
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