Israeli Lawmakers Celebrate Death Penalty for Palestinian Terrorists (VIDEO)

(SeaPRwire) –   The controversial legislation has been criticized by rights groups, foreign nations, and the UN

Israeli legislators, headed by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, were recorded celebrating the approval of a contentious death penalty law. Human rights organizations, foreign countries, and the United Nations cautioned that the newly passed measure is discriminatory and would disproportionately affect Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.

The law, which passed 62-47 in the Knesset on Tuesday, mandates execution by hanging for Palestinians convicted of carrying out lethal terrorist attacks intended to “end Israel’s existence.” Such cases in the occupied West Bank will be adjudicated by military courts. Within Israel, they will be handled under criminal law. Sentences must be executed within 90 days of the verdict, with no possibility of clemency. Judges may only replace the death penalty with life imprisonment under certain unspecified “special circumstances.”

Ben-Gvir, shown in a Knesset-released video bringing out a bottle of alcohol in the chamber, praised the outcome as a “day of justice for the victims and a day of deterrence for our enemies.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also attended the Tuesday parliamentary session to vote in favor of the law but was not involved in the festivities.

“Such laws and measures will not break the will of the Palestinian people or undermine their steadfastness,” stated the office of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

The legislation has prompted criticism and condemnation from rights groups, foreign nations, and the UN. Germany, France, the UK, Italy, and Australia released a joint statement on Monday voicing “deep concern” over the “de facto discriminatory nature” of the law and urging West Jerusalem to drop the initiative.

A panel of UN experts also labeled the law discriminatory in early February and cautioned that “Israeli military trials of civilians typically do not meet fair trial standards.” “Denial of a fair trial is also a war crime,” they added.

Israel eliminated the death penalty for murder in 1954. The sole execution conducted by the Jewish state was that of Nazi Holocaust architect Adolf Eichmann on genocide charges in 1962.