Tel Aviv: Israel’s Knesset has passed a controversial law mandating the death penalty by hanging for Palestinians convicted of killing Israelis in the occupied West Bank. The legislation, which passed with a 62-48 vote, was championed by far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who dismissed international pressure from the EU and other critics.

Human rights organizations and Palestinian leaders have condemned the measure as a discriminatory violation of international law. The law's passage comes amid rising tensions and a surge in arrests in the West Bank, prompting the Association for Civil Rights in Israel to file an immediate appeal with the country's Supreme Court.

Amnesty International has strongly condemned the new legislation, describing it as a “public display of cruelty” that follows years of extrajudicial executions carried out with near-total impunity. The human rights organization joins a chorus of critics who argue that the law further erodes fundamental human rights and international legal standards.

European leaders have also voiced their opposition, with officials from Ireland, Italy, and the Council of Europe formally denouncing the move. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani revealed that Italy, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom had previously coordinated a request for the bill to be withdrawn, emphasizing that life is an "absolute value" and that such measures are incompatible with contemporary humanitarian principles.

The Palestinian Authority and Hamas have both condemned the legislation as a "dangerous escalation" and an illegal precedent, warning that it seeks to legitimize extrajudicial killing under legislative cover while disregarding international humanitarian norms.

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