Israeli right-wing lawmakers are pushing to introduce the death penalty for Palestinians accused of carrying out operations, reviving a long-standing legal framework inherited from British Mandate emergency regulations. The proposed bill, spearheaded by Tsviika Vogel, would apply to prisoners under Israeli military law, which already allows extreme measures but has largely frozen executions. Over the past decade, multiple attempts to pass similar legislation have been blocked or stalled due to legal opposition and international criticism.

Palestinian prisoners have endured severe conditions, including deliberate medical neglect, starvation, and psychological abuse, with 77 deaths reported since the outbreak of Israel’s war on Gaza in October 2023. Activists and legal experts warn that any new law would be racially discriminatory, targeting Palestinians while ignoring widespread extrajudicial killings, and would not serve as a deterrent. Prisoner advocates stress that Palestinian resistance is legally protected under international law and humanitarian conventions.

International legal voices point out that the death penalty is widely condemned, particularly in Europe, where EU membership requires its abolition. Analysts view the current proposal as a politically motivated attempt to gain domestic support among right-wing constituencies, exploiting Palestinian suffering for electoral purposes. Experts stress that historical evidence shows such measures do not curb resistance and would further escalate violations of human rights and international law.