The Far‑right National Security Minister Itamar Ben‑Gvir and his Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party, seeks to amend Israeli law to mandate the death penalty for people convicted of certain killings defined as terrorism or “nationalistically‑motivated murder”. It has so far passed a first reading in the Knesset and is moving through committee toward second and third (final) readings.

The legal change would be significant because modern Israeli law has rarely used the death penalty (last case was Adolf Eichmann in 1962), and courts traditionally have discretion in sentencing.

Core provisions include:

1. The death penalty would be mandatory for someone who “intentionally or recklessly causes the death of an Israeli citizen” when motivated by racism, hostility, or the intent to harm the State of Israel or “the rebirth of the Jewish people in its land.”
2. Sentences would be imposed without the possibility of reduction.
3. Military courts could also hand down death sentences without commutation, and appeals would be limited.
4. Advocates including Ben‑Gvir have openly discussed methods like hanging, electric chair, or lethal injection.

On November 3, 2025, the Knesset’s National Security Committee approved for first reading two separate bills that would impose a mandatory death penalty for "terrorists" convicted of murder motivated by racism or hostility with the intent to harm the State of Israel. The bills, backed by members of Otzma Yehudit and Yisrael Beitenu, aim to enhance deterrence by eliminating judicial discretion and allowing death sentences by majority vote of judges, without the possibility of commutation.

The committee’s legal advisor raised significant concerns, including the inability to correct wrongful convictions after execution, the lack of stricter evidentiary standards, and the proposed weakening of judicial safeguards. Despite these objections, the committee advanced the bills.

Senior officials expressed differing views. Hostages Coordinator Gal Hirsch withdrew prior objections and said the Prime Minister supports the bill. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir insisted that discretion would undermine deterrence and that the law reflects a shift in Israel’s security doctrine. Supporters argued the law is essential for deterrence and national security; opponents, such as MK Gilad Kariv, called it extreme and unsuitable for a democratic state.

The committee ultimately passed the bills for first reading, forwarding them to the Knesset plenum.

Political Context and Support/

Ben‑Gvir has been one of the strongest proponents, arguing the law is “moral”, will deter future attacks, and should be enacted especially after hostage returns.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government reportedly supports the measure as part of coalition agreements.

The bill passed its first Knesset reading by 39 votes to 16 and is now in committee.

Quotes pro-death penalty:

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir stressed that the law must leave no judicial discretion: “Let every terrorist who goes to murder know that he can expect one penalty—the death penalty.” (...) “As soon as you grant discretion, you diminish the deterrent effect.”

Bill sponsor MK Limor Sonn Har Melech argued that only an unequivocal law prevents terrorists from exploiting legal ambiguity: “A dead terrorist will not return to terrorism and to the cycle of blood, and certainly will not be freed in a terrorist deal.”

Supporter MK Oded Forer emphasized deterrence over revenge: “This legislation is necessary for the State of Israel’s security… I have been advancing this bill since 2016.”

Minister Yitzhak Wasserlauf called for automatic execution upon conviction: “There is guilty or innocent. If he has been found guilty, then it is an automatic execution.” (...) “Those who murder us will know that we will settle the score with them. I am not afraid of the word revenge.”

Committee Chair MK Tzvika Foghel concluded with a firm endorsement: “When we implement the death penalty, the world will be cleaner and safer… even if it saves the life of one Jew, the bill is worth it.” (...) “A dead terrorist will not be freed, either in a deal or otherwise.”

Pro–Death Penalty Supporters

1. Itamar Ben Gvir – Minister of National Security (Otzma Yehudit)
2. Limor Sonn Har Melech – MK, bill sponsor (Otzma Yehudit)
3. Oded Forer – MK, bill co-sponsor (Yisrael Beitenu)
4. Avigdor Liberman – MK, bill co-sponsor (Yisrael Beitenu)
5. Evgeny Sova – MK, bill co-sponsor (Yisrael Beitenu)
6. Sharon Nir – MK, bill co-sponsor (Yisrael Beitenu)
7. Hamad Amar – MK, bill co-sponsor (Yisrael Beitenu)
8. Gal Hirsch – Coordinator for Hostages and Missing Persons (expressed support after withdrawing earlier objections)
9. Yitzhak (Issac) Wasserlauf – Minister of the Negev, Galilee and National Resilience (Otzma Yehudit)
10. Tzvika Foghel – MK, Chair of the National Security Committee (Otzma Yehudit)

On December 8, 2025:

During a Knesset National Security Committee session on a bill enabling the death penalty for Palestinian prisoners, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir drew criticism for wearing a noose-shaped lapel pin. The far-right Otzma Yehudit minister defended the proposal despite strong legal and constitutional objections raised by the committee’s own legal advisers. Ben-Gvir described the death penalty as a “legitimate” punishment and listed possible execution methods, including hanging, electric chair, and lethal injection. He dismissed warnings from legal experts and claimed he had received widespread support from doctors willing to participate in executions, despite earlier reports that many medical professionals would refuse.

Not only Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir but his allies were photographed wearing gold noose pins in public to signal support for executing Palestinian detainees. Also visible in the image is Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu, whose ministry oversees settlement expansion and displacement in the occupied West Bank. For Americans and many in former settler colonies, the noose is inseparable from the history of racial terror and lynching, making its public display an endorsement of extrajudicial killing and violent intimidation. Israeli military courts that try Palestinians convict more than 99% of defendants. Over half of the nearly 9,500 Palestinians imprisoned by Israel are held without charge or trial.

Criticism, Legal and Human Rights Concerns:

The proposed law has drawn strong criticism from legal experts, rights groups, and international observers:

Human rights organizations (e.g., Amnesty International) warn that the bill is discriminatory in practice, since its language would apply overwhelmingly to Palestinians and would violate international human rights norms.

Israeli civil rights groups say it undermines the constitutional right to life, violates equality principles and could legalize state‑sanctioned killings.

Critics argue that judicial review and appeals would be weakened, raising concerns about fair trials, especially in military courts.

MK Naor Shiri (party Yesh Atid) submitted an urgent letter to the State Comptroller and Ombudsman Matanyahu Engelman, demanding clarification of the sources of funding for the hanging rope-shaped pin worn by Ben Gabir and members of his party: "I will ask for your examination, Was the purchase of the pin financed from the parties' funds? To the extent that this is indeed done with public funds, is it an expense that meets the proper use of party funds?".

Senior Likud officials attacked Ben Gvir: "He sabotages himself with the death penalty law for terrorists. He deals with gimmicks instead of solving the problems that are in the law itself - this will lead to his law being invalidated by the High Court".

On December 11, 2025:

An Israeli soldier was recorded with a patch of a hanging rope on his uniform. Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir's instructions prohibit non-standard patches on IDF uniforms, and the army is trying to find out the identity of a soldier. An IDF spokesperson stated: "According to the rules of appearance and dress, it is prohibited to wear any non-military insignia on an IDF uniform". And therefore, non-IDF badges are prohibited and enforced similar to other aspects of appearance and clothing. The IDF takes seriously any use of symbols that harm the statehood of the army. The incident is investigated and the identity of the soldier under investigation, when found, will be handled disciplinary".