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Netanyahu green lights death penalty for terrorists

PM Benjamin Netanyahu OK’d legislation to proceed to make it easier for courts to sentence convicted terrorists to death.

By World Israel News Staff

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu permitted legislation to proceed that would make it easier for courts to sentence convicted terrorists to death. He announced the decision during a coalition meeting, Kan Bet reported Monday.

Naftali Bennett, leader of the Jewish Home Party who serves as minister of education, pressured the prime minister to advance the bill, according to the report.

The death penalty bill for terrorists, which passed a preliminary vote in January, is the flagship legislation of the Yisrael Beytenu Party led by Defense Minister Abigdor Liberman. Last week, Liberman blamed Bennett and Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, also of the Jewish Home Party, of delaying the legislation.

Bennett reportedly told Netanyahu during his conversation that he had no problem with the bill, the report says.

Likud Party whip Dudi Amsalem backed up Bennett’s version of events and said the Jewish Home Party was not behind the legislation’s delay.

Although Israel already has a death penalty, it has not employed it since the execution of Nazi SS Officer Adolf Eichmann in 1962.