Knesset advances ‘Death Penalty for Terrorists Bill’ to final votes

Opposition faction lays down conditions for helping to pass bill that would facilitate capital punishment for terrorists convicted of murder after Knesset committee sends legislation to final votes.

By World Israel News Staff

A bill promoting the use of the death penalty against terrorists who commit murder is slated to be brought before the Knesset plenum for its final votes, after it was approved in committee this week.

On Tuesday night, the Knesset National Security Committee voted to advance the so-called Death Penalty for Terrorists Bill, a piece of legislation introduced by the Otzma Yehudit party.

The final readings of the bill are expected to be held next week.

If passed into law, the bill would mandate that terrorists convicted of nationalistically motivated murder must either be executed or given life imprisonment.

The initial draft of the bill required that convicted terrorists be given the death penalty, barring judges from choosing imprisonment.

The updated version of the bill also permits civilian courts, in addition to military courts, to conduct trials involving terrorists charged with murder.

The bill prohibits the president from granting pardons to terrorists convicted of murder, with the goal of barring future releases of such terrorists as part of hostage deals with terror groups.

While the bill easily passed its first reading in the Knesset plenum last November by a margin of 39 to 16, the ruling coalition now faces challenges in ensuring majority support in the final two votes.

Some ultra-Orthodox lawmakers have indicated they will absent themselves from the vote or abstain, potentially blocking passage of the bill.

However, the Israel Beytenu party, a member of the opposition, has indicated it will be willing to help pass the bill.

Israel Beytenu has long advocated for legislation making it easier to sentence terrorists to death.

But the faction conditioned its support for the bill on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s participation in the final vote, demanding the premier personally vote in favor of the bill.

“It is unacceptable for the prime minister to evade a vote on such a significant law,” said MK Oded Forer (Israel Beytenu).