New Israeli Law: Hanging for Palestinians, Exception for Jews

The recent law approved by the far-right majority in the Knesset in Israel allows the execution of Palestinians convicted of killing Israeli Jews, by hanging. This law exempts Israeli Jews convicted of killing Palestinians from the same penalty. This regulation is a clear example of legalized discrimination, where the lives of Palestinians and Jews do not have the same value before the law.

The law specifies hanging as the method of execution, which underlines the punitive and discriminatory nature of the legislation. The approval of this law has generated a wave of criticism and condemnation at an international level, questioning the principles of equality and justice that should govern any legal system.

The last legal execution in Israel was that of Adolf Eichmann in 1962, a milestone in Israeli judicial history. The new law, promoted by the far-right Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, and supported by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, establishes capital punishment, but only for murders that seek to 'negate the existence of the State of Israel'.

This definition opens the door to biased interpretations and selective application of justice. The law could have avoided the death penalty for Baruch Goldstein, an Israeli settler who murdered 29 Palestinians in prayer in 1994, demonstrating the clear bias of the legislation.

One of the most significant changes in the new law is the elimination of the requirement for jury unanimity to pass a death sentence. Now, a simple majority is sufficient to sentence a Palestinian to capital punishment. This modification drastically reduces the standards of legal protection and facilitates the imposition of the death penalty.

This measure has been strongly criticized for undermining the fundamental principles of a fair trial. The law was approved by a vote of 62-48, with the centrist and left-wing parties voting against it, reflecting the political polarization surrounding this controversial legislation.

The approval of the law has provoked strong international condemnation. European nations that were once allies of Israel, such as Germany and Great Britain, expressed their rejection of the law. However, Donald Trump's government did not express any objection.

The international reaction highlights concerns about respect for human rights and international law. The lack of condemnation by certain political actors suggests a double standard in the application of democratic and justice values.

In the lead-up to the vote, Itamar Ben-Gvir, the main promoter of the law, wore a pin with a gallows on his lapel. This symbolic gesture reflects the law's intention to apply selective and punitive justice. The approval of this law and the reaction it has provoked, illustrate the growing political polarization and the erosion of democratic values in the region.

The law and the context in which it has been enacted are a clear example of how politics can be used to perpetuate discrimination and injustice.