The US on Monday declined to criticise Israel after its parliament approved a controversial law imposing the death penalty on Palestinians convicted of deadly attacks, despite mounting international condemnation.
“The United States respects Israel’s sovereign right to determine its own laws and penalties for individuals convicted of terrorism,” a State Department spokesperson told Anadolu in response to an inquiry.
“We trust that any such measures will be carried out with a fair trial and respect for all applicable fair trial guarantees and protections,” the spokesperson added.
The remarks come as human rights groups, the UN and several countries, including European governments, denounced the legislation as discriminatory and a violation of international law, warning it could amount to “cruel” and “inhuman punishment.”
US Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib condemned the Israeli bill that would mandate the death penalty for Palestinian prisoners, calling it “the next step in the genocide of Palestinians” and an act of apartheid.
“Mass execution by hanging, solely on racial lines” constitutes apartheid Tlaib said on the US social media platform X, adding that Palestinians are “already systematically tortured in Israeli prisons.”
Israel has sharply escalated its violations against Palestinian detainees since the start of the war in October 2023, particularly those from Gaza, including starvation, torture, sexual violence, and systematic denial of medical care, according to rights groups.
The law, passed by Israel’s Knesset, makes the death penalty the default punishment for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank convicted of carrying out lethal attacks against Israelis.
Following the vote, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir welcomed the legislation, calling it “a historic day.”
“Soon, they will be executed one by one”, Ben-Gvir said.
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The bill was introduced by The Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) Party, led by far-right Ben-Gvir, and passed its first reading last November.
More than 9 300 Palestinians, including 350 children and 66 women, are currently imprisoned in Israeli jails, according to data from prisoners’ rights organizations and the Israeli Prison Service.
According to Palestinian and Israeli human rights organisations, they suffer from torture, starvation and medical neglect, which has led to the deaths of dozens.
Since October 2023, Israel has escalated its measures against Palestinian prisoners, coinciding with its genocidal war on the Gaza Strip with American support, which resulted in the killing of more than 72 000 people and the injury of 172 000 others.
Meanwhile, Egypt’s Al-Azhar, the highest seat of Sunni Muslim learning, on Tuesday denounced Israel’s new law imposing the death penalty on Palestinian prisoners as an attempt to “legalise murder” and a “desperate effort” to legitimise Israeli crimes.
In a statement, Al-Azhar said Israel’s move to legalise the execution of Palestinian prisoners and detainees exposes “the brutality and moral collapse” of Israel.
Al-Azhar voiced its “categorical rejection” of all Israeli laws and measures targeting Palestinian prisoners, saying the law is merely “a desperate attempt to give a legal character to killing.”
Earlier Monday, Israel’s Knesset approved the law in its second and third readings, according to Israeli media.
The legislation allows Israeli courts to impose the death penalty on Palestinian prisoners. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voted in favour of the law. – AA
