Netanyahu backs Ben-Gvir's death penalty for terrorists law, Hirsch tells Knesset - Keshet Neev

 

by Keshet Neev

The statements came during Ben-Gvir’s discussion and vote to advance the death penalty for terrorists bill ahead of its first reading in the plenum.

 

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir pushes for a bill to see terrorists receive the death penalty.

(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)

 

The Otzma Yehudit Party’s death penalty for terrorists bill was approved by the Knesset’s National Security Committee on Monday to be advanced and brought to the plenum for its first reading.

The bill has received backing from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Brig.-Gen. (res.) Gal Hirsch, the coordinator for the hostages in the Prime Minister’s Office, told the panel.

As no living hostages in Gaza, opposition to death penalty bill drops critiques

Hirsch strongly opposed advancing the bill during the last discussion of the law in September, presenting the PMO's stance. He had stated that the bill could harm negotiations with Hamas to reach a deal to return the living hostages held in captivity in Gaza at the time.

However, Hirsh told the panel on Monday, “We are in a different reality now; the objection I had in the previous discussion is no longer relevant."

"I spoke with the prime minister, and he also supports the proposed law. This is another tool in the fight against terrorism," Hirsh said.

“In the previous discussion, I opposed holding the debate itself due to the danger it posed to the lives of the hostages."

The discussion was attended by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, head of Otzma Yehudit.

The bill is expected to be brought to a vote for first reading in the Knesset’s plenum already on Wednesday, KAN News reported. It will then return to committee meetings for discussion and will need to pass a second and third reading in the plenum to become a law.

Following the vote to advance the bill, Ben-Gvir stated, “I thank the prime minister for his support of Otzma Yehudit’s death penalty for terrorists bill. The court must not have any discretion; every terrorist who goes out to murder must know that only the death penalty will be imposed on him. It’s time to do justice.”

“Whoever murdered, raped, and kidnapped our children and daughters is not entitled to see the light of day, and his sentence should be death," Ben-Gvir said.

Ben-Gvir stated that the law would improve Israel's security, as it would be "instilled" in terrorists' hearts.

"This is how we fight terror; this is how we create deterrence,” he added.

The bill proposes that "whoever murdered an Israeli civilian out of racism or hostility toward the public, with the aim of harming the State of Israel and the restoration of the Jewish people in its land, shall be sentenced to death, and to no other punishment."

The bill would also change the law so that the death penalty could be imposed by a military court through a majority of judges.

Hamas condemned the Knesset committee’s approval of the bill, calling for "the UN, the international community, and relevant rights groups to take urgent action to halt this brutal crime."

The terror group also called to "inspect the conditions of Palestinian prisoners, and expose the atrocities committed there under the official supervision of the occupation authorities."

The Choosing Life Forum of bereaved families and terror victims responded that there was an urgent need for the law to be passed and that it was a central part of the legislation to combat terrorism.

MK Gilad Kariv (The Democrats) voiced his objection to the bill during the committee meeting.

Following the vote on the bill, Kariv stated, “The death penalty for terrorists bill is a populist and extreme law that will not lead to the eradication of murderous terrorism, but rather to its escalation. 

“Netanyahu’s attempt to ingratiate himself with Ben-Gvir after the completion of the hostage deal is a transparent move that once again proves that political considerations outweigh security considerations,” he added. 

Two weeks ago, Ben-Gvir gave a three-week deadline before his right-wing Otzma Yehudit Party would halt participation in coalition votes unless a bill to impose the death penalty on terrorists would be brought to the Knesset’s plenum for a vote

Ben-Gvir said that three years ago, ahead of the war, his party had made a coalition agreement with the Likud, led by Netanyahu, which stipulated that the bill to impose the death penalty on terrorists would be advanced.

Keshet Neev

Source: https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-872536

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