Countries and international organisations condemn Israel's death penalty law
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Israel has once again acted with the enactment of a law regulating the death penalty for Palestinian prisoners.
Israel’s legislative body, the Knesset, on Monday, 30 April 2026, approved a law making the death penalty the standard punishment for Palestinians in the West Bank convicted of deadly attacks on Israeli citizens.
The new law mandates the death penalty for Palestinians found guilty of murdering Israelis. However, the law does not apply to Israelis who kill Palestinians.
Under the law, courts can impose the death penalty even if prosecutors do not request it, and a unanimous decision by judges is not required.
This Zionist policy has immediately provoked anger and condemnation from various countries and international organisations, which view the legislation as violating all international and humanitarian laws and norms.
The following countries and international organisations have condemned Israel over the approval of this policy:
Indonesia
The Indonesian government has strongly condemned the Knesset for passing the death penalty verdict law for the Palestinian people they have imprisoned. According to the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kemlu), the policy is unacceptable because it injures the sense of justice and universal humanitarian values.
Kemlu stated that the law constitutes a serious violation of human rights law and international humanitarian law.
Indonesia views the decision as breaching the Fourth Geneva Convention and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which guarantee the right to life and the right to a fair trial.
Therefore, Indonesia urges the Zionist regime to immediately repeal the law and halt all actions contrary to international law.
Indonesia also urges Israel to ensure protection of the fundamental rights of the Palestinian people, including Palestinian prisoners held in their prisons.
Palestine
Palestine has also condemned Israel’s law targeting Palestinians in the occupied West Bank territory. The Palestinian presidency stated that the law is a clear violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention, particularly the protections it guarantees for individuals and fair trial protections.
According to them, the law constitutes a war crime against the Palestinian people and is part of a broader context of escalating Israeli policies and actions across all occupied Palestinian territories, including the Gaza Strip, West Bank, and East Jerusalem.
The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the approval of the law marks a dangerous shift towards genocidal legislation, affirming that Israel has no sovereignty over Palestinian land and that Israeli law cannot be applied to the Palestinian people.
Gulf Countries
Similar condemnation has come from the Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Jasem Albudaiwi, who stated that the decision issued by the Israeli parliament is an outright violation and contradicts all international and humanitarian laws and norms.
He urged the international community to fulfil their legal and humanitarian obligations to stop the illegal decisions and practices of the Israeli occupying forces, which pose a threat to the Palestinian people.
Arab League
The Arab League has urged the international community, including the UN, UN Security Council, and International Criminal Court (ICC), to take firm action immediately to repeal Israel’s death penalty law.
The regional organisation also called for those responsible to be prosecuted for the violations and for international protection to be guaranteed for the prisoners.
The Arab League considers the law a blatant violation of international law and international humanitarian law.
According to them, the action reflects clear discrimination against Palestinian prisoners and constitutes a war crime and crime against humanity.
European Union (EU)
The European Union has expressed serious concern over the death penalty law approved by Israel’s parliament. According to them, Israel’s death penalty law has caused great concern in the EU. “This is a clear setback,” said EU foreign affairs spokesperson Anouar El Anouni.
He added that the law also has a discriminatory nature.
United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Italy
Four countries— the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Italy— have expressed concern over Israel’s law imposing the death penalty on terrorists. The four countries urged Israel to cancel their policy.
“We, the Foreign Ministers of Germany, France, Italy, and the UK, express our deep concern about the bill that would significantly expand the possibility of imposing the death penalty in Israel,” according to a joint statement.
The ministers also urged Israel to cancel the bill immediately, which could be adopted as early as next week.
UNRWA
The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) said he was “deeply shocked” by Israel’s law imposing the death penalty on Palestinian prisoners.
“I am deeply shocked by this heinous law, which I very much hope will be rejected by the Supreme Court,” said UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini.
He warned that the law would be “highly discriminatory” because it targets only one category of population, emphasising that the global trend is towards the abolition of the death penalty rather than its reintroduction.