Britain, France, Germany, and Italy have voiced deep concern over an Israeli bill that would expand the use of the death penalty for convicted terrorists. The legislation, which passed a preliminary reading in the Knesset in March 2024, would allow Israeli military courts to impose capital punishment for acts of terrorism resulting in death.
The four European nations issued a joint statement on Sunday, March 24, 2024, stating their firm opposition to the death penalty in all circumstances. They argued that it does not deter crime and any errors in its application are irreversible. The statement emphasized that the countries would continue to advocate for the universal abolition of capital punishment.
The bill, proposed by members of the ruling coalition, has reignited a long-standing debate in Israel, where the death penalty is legal but has been used only once in the country's history, in the 1962 execution of Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann. The legislation requires further readings and votes in the Knesset to become law.
International human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, have also condemned the proposed expansion, calling it a violation of the right to life. The Israeli government has defended the bill as a necessary deterrent and a just response to deadly terrorist attacks.
