Israel passes death penalty law; critics point to discrimination
by Danielle Haynes · UPIMarch 30 (UPI) -- Israel's parliament on Monday passed legislation legalizing the death penalty as a punishment for Palestinians convicted of terror attacks.
Critics of the law said the bill was worded in such a way that it would be used disproportionately against Palestinians.
Palestinians convicted under the law would have no path for appeals or clemency, while those in Israel would be able to have their sentences commuted, The Guardian reported. Executions would be carried out within 90 days of a sentence being issued.
The death penalty was previously legal in Israel in cases of genocide, but rarely used. The last execution to take place there was that of Nazi leader Adolf Eichmann in 1962.
European leaders on Sunday issued statements of "deep concern" over the possibility of the Knesset passing the legislation.
"We are are particularly worried about the de facto discriminatory character of the bill," the foreign ministers of Britain, Germany, France and Italy said. "The adoption of this bill would risk undermining Israel's commitments with regards to democratic principals."
The death penalty -- by way of hanging -- would be the default punishment in cases of deadly attacks as well as possibility for killings seeking to "negate the existence of the state of Israel," The New York Times reported.