Knesset erupts as lawmakers back death penalty bill for terrorist killers
Three Arab MKs removed amid clashes as Ben-Gvir backed proposal clears first hurdle
Israel’s parliament descended into uproar as three Arab-Israeli lawmakers were ejected from the chamber during a heated debate on a bill extending the death penalty to terrorists convicted of murdering Israelis.
The proposal – introduced by opposition party Yisrael Beiteinu and backed by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir – passed its first reading late Monday by 36 votes to 16. Despite the chamber being half empty, coalition support ensured the measure’s approval.
The bill would give judges the discretion to impose a death sentence in terrorism cases that result in fatalities. While the death penalty already exists under Israeli law, it has been used only twice: against IDF officer Meir Tobianski in 1948, who was later exonerated, and against Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann in 1962.
Tensions quickly flared during the debate. Ra’am MK Waleed Taha accused Israel of “killing civilians in Gaza”, prompting jeers from coalition members. Hadash-Ta’al leader Ayman Odeh was removed after calling Ben-Gvir a “terrorist”, while his party colleague Ahmad Tibi was later expelled following a separate shouting match with far-right lawmakers.
Ben-Gvir, who has long championed the measure, said it should be strengthened to make the death penalty automatic for convicted terrorists. “Every terrorist who goes out to murder must know that the death penalty will be imposed on him,” he told the Knesset’s National Security Committee.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had previously opposed the proposal due to concerns about reprisals, shifted his position following the Gaza ceasefire and has now signalled support. The legislation must still pass three further readings before becoming law.
The bill has also drawn attention abroad after UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese shared a post on social media misrepresenting it as authorising the execution of Palestinian “hostages”, a claim that has been widely dismissed as false.
If enacted, the measure would mark a major change in Israel’s criminal justice system, expanding judicial powers to impose the death penalty in terrorism-related murder cases.
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