Israeli Knesset advances bills on death penalty for Palestinians, shutdown of foreign media

Israel’s parliament [Knesset] has advanced two contentious bills — one allowing the death penalty for Palestinian prisoners and another empowering the government to permanently shut down foreign media outlets without court approval.

Both measures, pushed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right allies, passed initial readings in the Knesset and now move to a committee for further debate before final approval.

The first bill, proposed by the National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s Jewish Power party, would permit executions of Palestinian prisoners accused of killing Israeli citizens "motivated by hatred or intent to harm Israel."

It passed its first reading by 39 votes to 16 out of 120 lawmakers.

The notorious minister hailed the result on X, calling it "a historic moment" and claiming his party had "promised and delivered."

Human rights groups condemned the proposal, warning that it specifically targets Palestinians and deepens Israel’s entrenched system of discrimination in the occupied territories.

The session saw a heated exchange between Arab lawmaker Ayman Odeh and Ben-Gvir that nearly turned physical, underscoring growing tensions in the Knesset.

If enacted, the law would mark the first time Israel has introduced capital punishment since the 1962 execution of Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann.

Media restrictions

The same day, lawmakers also advanced a bill to make permanent the so-called "Al Jazeera Law," which currently allows the government to temporarily shut down foreign media outlets deemed to "harm Israel’s security."

The new measure, introduced by Likud legislator Ariel Kallner, would strip judicial oversight and allow closures even in peacetime. It passed its preliminary reading with 50 votes in favour and 41 against.

Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi urged the Knesset to pass the bill quickly, saying the temporary measure had expired.

Legal experts, however, warned that the move undermines press freedom and could violate constitutional principles.

The original law was enacted in April 2024 after Netanyahu’s government ordered the closure of Al Jazeera’s bureau in Israel over its coverage of the genocidal war in Gaza.

Critics say both bills reflect a growing authoritarian streak in Israel’s leadership amid ongoing military assaults and mass arrests of Palestinians.

___

Source: TRT