Israel Implements Death Penalty Law for Palestinians in West Bank

Israel Katz directed the implementation of a death penalty law targeting Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, signing an amendment to the military's Security Instructions Order on May 17, 2026. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, whose Otzma Yehudit party originally initiated the legislation, joined Katz in announcing the measure. Because the West Bank operates under military orders rather than Israeli civil law, Major General Avi Bluth, commander of the Israeli army's Central Command, signed the necessary amendment to grant military courts the authority to impose death sentences.

The Knesset passed the underlying legislation on March 30, making the death penalty the default sentence for individuals convicted of killing Israelis, unless special circumstances justify reducing the penalty to life imprisonment. The law specifically targets those whose actions are linked to the denial of the existence of the State of Israel.

Human rights organizations and legal professionals have condemned the law, arguing it establishes a dual legal system that applies exclusively to Palestinians. Israeli citizens and soldiers who kill Palestinians would not face the same penalty framework. Critics say the measure deepens an already discriminatory legal landscape in the occupied territory, where Palestinians are subject to military courts while Israeli settlers face civilian courts for the same offenses.