European countries appeal to Israel to abandon plans to revive death penalty

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a session of the Israeli parliament (Knesset) in Jerusalem.

On Monday, the Knesset will meet to discuss a bill seeking to revive the death penalty for people convicted of acts of terrorism.

Photo: AFP Four European countries have called on Israel to abandon a bill seeking to revive the death penalty for people convicted of acts of terrorism, a measure opponents say would target only Palestinians.

In a joint statement on Sunday ahead of an anticipated final vote in the Knesset on Monday, foreign ministers from France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom expressed their “deep concern” about the bill. “The death penalty is an inhumane and degrading form of punishment without any deterring effect,” the ministers said, calling for those behind the bill to end the initiative. “This is why we oppose the death penalty, whatever the circumstances around the world.” Israel abolished the death penalty for murder in 1954.

It remains applicable only for specific cases such as genocide or treason in wartime.

No death sentence handed down by a regular court has been carried out since the execution of Nazi criminal Adolf Eichmann in 1962.

If the current legislative initiative is approved, Palestinians convicted by military courts in the occupied territories of a terrorist-motivated murder would face a mandatory death sentence.

The foreign ministers of the four European countries said the bill had a “de facto discriminatory character”.

They said its adoption would risk undermining Israel’s commitment to democratic principles.

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid in Beit Shemesh, Israel on March 2.

Photo: Reuters Meanwhile, the Knesset will vote overnight on the 2026 budget that provides for a massive rise in military spending.

The defence budget will rise by more than US$10 billion, exceeding US$45 billion – more than double the 2023 allocation before the Gaza war was sparked by Hamas’ attack on Israel that year.

Defence spending has been steadily increasing since then.

The overall budget stands at around US$245 billion.

If a budget is not passed by the end of March, as required by Israeli law, it will automatically trigger the fall of the government and new elections.

In addition to fighting the new war against Iran with its US ally since February 28, Israel is also battling in southern Lebanon against the Iran-backed Islamist movement Hezbollah.

The Israeli press reported on March 15 that the government

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