World condemns Israel's new death penalty law for Palestinians

The Knesset - Wiki Image

Last night the Israeli government passed a new law introducing the death penalty as a punishment for Palestinians convicted of terror charges, whether they are citizens of Israel or living under Israel's occupation in the West Bank.

Volker Turk the UN human rights chief today said the legislation violates international humanitarian law. In a media statement he said: "It raises serious concerns about due process violations, is deeply discriminatory, and must be promptly repealed."

Mr Turk said the law was inconsistent with Israel's legal obligations, citing the lack of opportunity for pardon and ordering executions to be carried out within 90 days.

UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper MP wrote on social media: "The death penalty is wrong and we oppose it around the world." She attached the following statement that she signed last week with Foreign Ministers of Germany, France and Italy:

"We, the Foreign Ministers of Germany, France, Italy and the United Kingdom, express our deep concern about a bill that would significantly expand the possibilities to impose the death penalty in Israel and that could be voted into law next week. We are particularly worried about the de facto discriminatory character of the bill. The adoption of this bill would risk undermining Israel's commitments with regards to democratic principles.

The death penalty is an inhumane and degrading form of punishment without any deterring effect. This is why we oppose the death penalty, whatever the circumstances around the world. The rejection of the death penalty is a fundamental value that unites us. We urge the Israeli decision makers in Knesset and Government to abandon these plans."

Bishop James Curry, Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster and Lead Bishop for the Holy Land of the Catholic Bishops Conference, told ICN: "The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that the death penalty is 'inadmissible.' It should never be used, regardless of the crime committed. A person's dignity is not lost, even after they have committed serious crimes. Executing a prisoner is a violation of the 'inviolability and dignity of the person,' modern states now have effective ways to protect their citizens without resorting to killing. I welcome the statement from Yvette Copper and other EU foreign ministers, and their plea to Israeli decision makers in the Knesset and Government to abandon these plans. This is and flawed and discriminatory bill. "

Christian Aid, has also strongly condemned the new law which it says will entrench Israel's lethal discrimination against Palestinians. William Bell, Christian Aid's, Head of Middle East Advocacy, said: "The legislation establishes a system of discriminatory capital punishment which we believe will be applied exclusively to Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.

"Palestinians in the West Bank are subject to military jurisdiction, while Israeli settlers are tried in civilian courts, which can only impose the death penalty in extreme cases. This latest outrage is another example of the systematic discrimination meted out to Palestinians by the Israeli state."

Dr Suhad Bishara, Legal Director of Christian Aid's partner, Adalah, an Israeli-based human rights organisation, said: "The application of Israeli domestic law to Palestinian residents of the West Bank is a flagrant violation of international law, as the Knesset holds no sovereign authority to legislate for an occupied population."

Adalah today launched a petition at the Israeli Supreme Court against the death penalty law.

Erika Guevara-Rosas, Amnesty International's Senior Director of Research, Advocacy, Policy and Campaigns said: "It speaks volumes to the extent of Israel's dehumanization of Palestinians that this law has passed in the same month in which Israeli military attorney general dropped all charges against Israeli soldiers accused of sexually assaulting a Palestinian detainee - a decision celebrated by the Prime Minister and several ministers. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes and crimes against humanity, was among those who voted in favour of the law. For years, we have seen an alarming pattern of apparent extrajudicial executions and other unlawful killings of Palestinians - with the perpetrators also enjoying near-total impunity. This new law which allows for state-sanctioned executions is a culmination of such policies... Israel is brazenly granting itself carte blanche to execute Palestinians while stripping away the most basic fair-trial safeguards."

LINKS

Petition to Parliament: Urge Israeli Government to stop law allowing execution of Palestinian prisoners: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/754432

Write to the Foreign Secretary: https://palestinecampaign.eaction.org.uk/opposedeathpenalty